Athletics: Merry leads rest a dance over longer distance

LAST NIGHT, at the Welsh Games in Cardiff, Katharine Merry saw the future, and it hurt.

Merry, European junior champion at 200 metres five years ago, has had her career blighted by injury. It seemed that whenever she found a rich vein of form another injury would knock her back.

Merry, aged 23, from Birmingham, chose a relatively low-key meeting to experiment with running 400 metres. It was undoubtedly a success as she left a field of far more experienced one-lap runners trailing by 20 metres and won in 52.76sec. Although slower than when she won Gwent's championship in May it was further confirmation of what Merry's coach had been telling her. For Merry is one of a growing band of athletes now being advised by Linford Christie. "Linford's been telling me ever since he met me that I should be a 400 metres runner," Merry said. "Sadly, I think he's right."

On a blustery evening, making it difficult for a novice to judge pace, Merry looked in control although she may lack a little confidence. "I thought I'd get to 300 and die," Merry said. "I'm thinking about moving up to 400 next year. Provided I recover from tonight."

Doug Walker was an equally clear winner of the men's 100 metres, though the Scotsman, Britain's new 200 metres champion, was denied a lifetime best. Last night he clocked 10.27sec but was denied by a puff of a breeze that took the wind reading to +2.1m/s.

It had been meant to be the welcome back in the valleys for Wales's new young hero, Christian Malcolm. But Malcolm, the double gold medallist at last week's World Junior Championships, was just too weary after his exertions in France, especially for a competitive domestic 100 metres that included Colin Jackson and was won by Scotland's Doug Walker in 10.27sec. Nine races in six days had taken its toll on Malcolm, the 19-year-old from Gwent who won the 100 and 200 metres world junior titles in Annecy. Last night's grand welcoming home party therefore was restricted to a run in a low-key relay and a presentation to recognise those achievements by his manager, Christie.

It will now fall to Christie and his Nuff Respect agency to help maximise the youngster's earning potential, beginning next Wednesday at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich, the richest on the planet.