Mark Lewis-Francis: ‘When you have something taken away from you and you get a second chance, you embrace it. That’s what I’m doing’
By Alex Spink, Athletics Correspondent 28/01/2011
AVIVA INTERNATIONAL: GLASGOW, TOMORROW
Mark Lewis-Francis says Linford Christie inspired him to get back to his best - in and out of the jungle.
The Walsall sprinter came back from the sporting dead to win European and Commonwealth 100m silver medals in 2010.
Ahead of his first race of the year at tomorrow’s Aviva International Match in Glasgow, he claims he now has the confidence to mix it with the world’s best.
“I owe that Linford,” said Lewis-Francis, a former Olympic relay champion who lost his lottery funding last year but refused to quit.
"We all know I had a lot of success as a youngster and we all know I lost my way a little bit.
"We all know I put a lot of weight on, and had to lose that weight. But we also know that I’m a talented sprinter.
“Talent never goes away but it does take a lot to find it again - and Linford helped me do that. Every one of those issues he corrected.”
Having helped his athlete to double silver, not forgetting Commonwealth relay gold, Christie turned to an equally big challenge - surviving ‘I’m a Celebrity’.
“It was really inspiring to watch,” said Lewis-Francis. "I know Linford doesn’t like bugs. But he put on a brave face for the whole nation.
“You’d never get me doing that. I couldn’t rough it in the jungle. I’ve got OCD. I need to clean all the time!”
Lewis-Francis, who takes on America’s Ryan Bailey over 60m tomorrow, has had his funding reinstated. He even featured in the Queen’s Christmas Speech.
“I am genuinely excited about life again,” he said. “When someone takes something away from you and you get a second chance, you embrace it. That’s what I’m doing.”
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Lewis-Francis spoke at the launch of the BMW London 2012 Performance Team, an initiative designed to provide Team GB and ParalympicsGB with support as they prepare for the Games. For more info, visit www.bmw.co.uk/london2012
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/sport-front-page/2011/01/28/sprinter-mark-lewis-francis-praises-coach-linford-christie-for-his-return-to-form-115875-22880559/#ixzz1CKHJj1Ck
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