Bangalore, May 24 (IANS) Endorsing the TCS World 10K run to be held here Sunday, former World sprint champion Linford Christie Thursday hoped that the event would inspire a new generation of athletes in India.
“Events like the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bangalore are the perfect platforms to generate interest towards athletics and I would encourage all Indians to ensure that their children play some kind of sport,” said Christie, the 1992 Olympics 100m gold medallist, at a media conference here.
“Every sport needs heroes to grow and develop and it won’t be long before such events help inspire a new generation of athletes which will throw up a new hero,” added the 52-year-old Christie who is also the brand ambassador of the event.
After arriving in a BMW motorcade in the company of the elite athletes and Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, at the Sree Kanteerava stadium, the start-finish point of the 10K run, Christie said he was impressed with the manner in which the running movement has caught up in the country.
On his second visit to the country, Christie made particular mention of Ram Singh Yadav, the marathoner who has qualified for the London Olympics, the first Indian to do so after a gap of 32 years, and achieved the qualifying mark at the Mumbai Marathon.
“Sport is fun, sport is healthy and sport makes you a better human being,” said Christie as he watched the scores of young athletes being put through their paces at the Stadium.
The Jamaican-born Christie gave the example of the small country of his birth that has thrown up so many world beaters. “Jamaica is a very tiny country as compared to India and there is huge potential here. It only needs to be identified and nurtured,” said Christie.
Reflecting on his own athletics career, Christie said the victory at the 1993 World Championship at the ripe age of 33 and a year after winning the gold at the Barcelona Olympics, was his most cherished moment of success because it had come after a great deal of effort.
“It was a tough time for me to continue with my high intensity training after winning the Olympic gold, but I am glad I persisted and gained success. That was the most satisfying part of my career,” he said.
The inevitable question about current World 100m champion Usain Bolt was met with a straight-faced answer: “He is fast.”
Christie predicted that the 100m final at the London Olympics this year would be a Jamaican affair between Bolt and Asafa Powell because American Tyson Gay, the other major contender, had not given indications of the form he currently is in.
On the new foul start rule which saw Bolt disqualified from the World Championships, Christie said he felt it was detrimental to sprinters.
“It takes away the explosive starts that are such an important part of sprints. Now the athletes are just waiting back for the starter’s pistol to go before they launch from the blocks. I am against it,” said Christie.
