OFF THE RECORD WITH LINFORD CHRISTIE

26/11/2025 By Alex Courbat

Linford Christie OBE has his name written in British sporting history. Olympic gold in Barcelona, European, Commonwealth and World Championship titles, and a legacy that still stands. But beyond the records, his story is built on belief – in himself, in others, and in what’s possible when you’re willing to take that first step. In this piece, we sat down with Linford to talk about the power of getting started, giving back to the next generation, and how belief continues to drive everything he does.

Barcelona, 1992. One man. 67,000 people. The British men’s team captain standing at the starting blocks, ready to face his biggest challenge yet. Linford Christie, 32 years old, is centre stage once again, lining up for the men’s 100m final at the XXVᵉ Olympic Games. The starter’s pistol fires, the crowd roars, and eight of the world’s fastest sprinters explode down the track. Just seconds later, the words ring out across homes everywhere: “Christie comes storming through!” People cheer, shout, and cry for their British hero as he crosses the line in 9.96 seconds – a moment that etched his name forever in sporting history.

At the Barcelona Games, Linford became the first British man to claim all four major athletics titles – a record that still stands today. On that very day, he also became the oldest athlete ever to win Olympic gold in the 100m. You might assume this was the result of a lifelong, unwavering dedication to sprinting. But actually, that wasn’t quite the case.

Linford moved to London from Jamaica when he was seven, and back then, sport wasn’t really on his radar. “I didn’t really have a relationship with sport,” he admits. It wasn’t until primary school that things started to change. One day, an art teacher named Mr. Wright looked out the window and saw Linford chasing a football across the playground. He came over and said, “You look fast – fancy trying out for the school team?” And just like that, Linford’s running journey began.

But it wasn’t only Mr. Wright who spotted his potential. “Every time I changed schools, there was always a teacher telling me I should run,” Linford recalls. Still, his dream was football. “I wanted to be a footballer – I wanted to be George Best,” he smiles. “Running was just something I did; it wasn’t something I thought I wanted to do.” Yet, wherever he went, people encouraged him to take athletics seriously. “I was racing against guys who were already training seriously. They’d ask, ‘Who are you? Who’s your coach? If you trained properly, you could be really good.’ There was always someone telling me to run.”

But it was when Linford was in secondary school in Fulham that this whole running thing really started to take off. There, a teacher named Mr. Jones took him down to the track. On that track, he would meet someone who would go on to become his future coach: Ron Roddan. Looking back, Linford remembers that day as clear as day – especially how Ron tested his character. “He just said, ‘Run.’ When I finished, he said, ‘Okay, go home and come back tomorrow.’ The next day? “Exactly the same” Linford says, laughing at the memory. That simple, no-nonsense approach laid the foundation for Ron to guide him all the way to four major titles and Olympic gold.

But for Linford, talent alone isn’t enough. His advice to anyone just starting out in sport is simple: enjoy it. “The more you enjoy something, the harder you work. And the harder you work, the better you get.” He encourages people to try different events, find the right coach, but most importantly, believe in themselves. “You’ve got to believe in yourself even more than your coach believes in you.” When he was 24, after receiving a letter from Ron, Linford changed his lifestyle, found his belief, and committed fully. “And you know, within six months, I was ranked number four in the world.” That was the moment when belief truly turned to brilliance.

Fast forward to 1992, aged 32, Linford decided to answer the call once again. Why again? A year earlier, Linford seriously thought about walking away from athletics altogether. “I went to the World Championships and came fourth. I ran the fourth fastest time ever at that point, but had nothing to show for it. I thought, maybe it’s time to retire.” Hard to imagine now, but that was very much his reality. So what made him change his mind? Belief, but of a different kind.

The belief of others – the public – that pulled him back to the Olympic starting line. “People wrote me letters, saying, ‘we’ve bought our tickets to Barcelona, you need to be there, we’re coming to see you,’” he laughs, touched by the memory. “I was glad I could do that – it’s the pinnacle of the sport. But honestly, these Olympics weren’t just about me.” His victory belonged to more than just himself. “I always say it was for my fans, my coach, my training partners – it was for them. That’s what it was really about.” For his fans, for his family, for Ron. He ran – and he won – for all of them.

That very idea – running for more than just himself – sparked something powerful in Linford. It inspired him to co-found Street Athletics with fellow gold medallist Darren Campbell MBE, a project aimed at giving under-20s from deprived areas across Britain the opportunity to get involved in athletics. “We talked about how we got into the sport. “I grew up in Shepherd’s Bush, and kids came from everywhere. We’d run around the block and race – it gave us something.” The goal? To offer that same chance – and so much more – to the next generation. A place where young people can belong, grow, and believe in themselves. “We went to places people were too scared to look – because that’s where the talent is,” Linford explains.

And looking back, there’s one moment from a trip to the Diamond League in Paris that really stuck with Linford – a moment that perfectly sums up why he does what he does. “There was a lad from Liverpool who said, ‘I know I’m nobody, but today I feel like somebody.’ Honestly, if I never did anything else after that, that was enough for me.” Experiences like that remind Linford of a simple but powerful truth: giving someone the belief to have a go can spark a journey that changes their life. “All things are possible if you believe.”

That belief isn’t just something Linford talks about; it’s at the heart of his coaching too. Having guided some of Britain’s greatest athletes – from Darren Campbell to Katharine Merry – he offers this advice: “Don’t try to be me – try to be better. We don’t know what we’re capable of as human beings; we can do anything. But you can’t discover new oceans if you’re too afraid to leave the shore. You’ve got to go out there, try, and believe.” And he knows it can go a long way. “I was never the fastest; I just made everyone believe I was. I didn’t have to convince anyone – I just had to run.” That belief – in yourself, in effort, in possibility – is what he passes on to every athlete he coaches.

Today, Linford is still coaching and keeping himself sharp by working with young athletes. “They’re always looking to challenge me. They think I’m old and can’t do much anymore – so I have to prove them wrong.” While sprinting isn’t part of his training these days, he stays fit. Showing up – for himself and for others – remains at the core of who he is. A man of integrity, grit, honesty, and modesty. A true legend. Linford reminds us what it really means to take that very first step.

And here’s the invitation: just get started. Forget about the finish line for now – just take that leap. No matter how old you are. And if you’re waiting for the perfect moment, don’t. Linford’s advice couldn’t be simpler: just try. Start where you are, believe in yourself and see where it takes you. Who knows? You might be the next Linford Christie.