Bolt may break 9.5 second barrier: Christie

Linford Christie, the only man to have held the Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth 100 metre titles simultaneously, tells Rajesh Pansare that the arrival of the Jamaican has given athletics a new lease of life

At first look what do you make of Usain Bolt as an athlete? And how will it change the face of athletics?
I know Bolt since the age of 15 and at first look it struck me he is one for the future. It’s not easy for a junior to run 200 metres under 20 seconds but he managed to achieve this feat. If not for the injuries, he would have blossomed a bit earlier, but the time away has in fact helped him. He is a much better athlete now and is on his way to becoming one of the greatest.

His arrival has given a fresh lease of life for athletics, which has been under cloud since the doping revelation from some top athletes over the last few years. More people will now take up athletics looking at what he has achieved in such a short span. He has the charisma to take athletics to new level.

Would a fully fit Tyson Gay have beaten Bolt, considering he also runs the 100m and 200m?
Gay is a good athlete and he would have pushed him hard. But I don’t think he would have beaten him, considering what Bolt achieved with such an ease. He was on different planet all together.

You were known for being psychologically very strong? What is your opinion on Asafa Powell, who under no pressure makes us believe he is the greatest athlete in the world, but when it comes to big occasions he doesn’t deliver? 
He has been injured quite often and that disturbs his training schedule, which is not good for an athlete. If you see, every six months he gets injured, he needs at least two years of injury-free training under him. Besides, a lot is expected of him with what he has achieved. Every time he goes onto the track people want to see him do something special and he is not the one who handles pressure really well. But with Bolt’s entry, the pressure is off Powell and you will see a completely different Powell. He will be more relaxed and will become a better athlete.  

Bolt ran 9.69s in 100 metres and 19.30s in 200 metres in a World Record. How difficult is it to break the 10 and the 20 second barrier in the 100 and 200 respectively and how lower can the record go. (Christie personal best in 100m was 9.87 seconds but he never managed to break the 20s barrier in 200m his best was 20.9 seconds)?
Previously nobody thought 10 seconds barrier can be broken but athletes did manage it. Likewise Bolt will have to really train hard to keep the level going. If he is injury-free he can sustain it for a long period, touching new milestones.   

Can anyone break 9.5 second barrier and how soon do you feel it can be broken? Will it be Bolt? 
The way the athletes are going quicker day by day, I think it would be broken in next two years or maybe sooner. Bolt might be one of them who breaks it.

Can you throw some light on the meeting with the Sport Minister MS Gill?
We do a programme called ‘Street Athletics’ back in UK wherein we train the street children. And we have unearthed some real talent back home. We hope to implement such a programme in India as well. We think there is a huge potential out there, which can be tapped. It was just a preliminary talk, we’ll send them a detail report of what we do and let’s see how it pans out.

You have been known for your stand against banned substances. So was it shocking when you tested positive for nandrolone? Do you think someone fixed you up?
It was shocking. Why would I dope at 40 years of age. I had achieved everything in my life that an athlete ever dreams of (Christie held the 100 metres Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth title simultaneously). I would not like to dwell on the second part and can’t do anything about it now.  

How rampant is doping in world of athletics?
Over the last few years so many incidents have come to light that people have a perception that any athlete who performs is a dope cheat. But that’s not the case in athletics. When it comes to doping there is a minority who can be looked at with suspicion and not the majority.   

And finally, can you talk of the Americans and their relations with rest of the world. Why athletes from other countries hate them?
It’s not like that. America is the top nation in athletics. So the best athletes of other nations want to beat Americans. That was the case with me as well. Americans think they have the monopoly over 100 metres and it’s nice to see it been broken by the Bolts and the Powells.