Chris Lambert Interview ™/ Text / Nicholas Asamoah / Pics / Rasharna Hylton
5th March 2008

Recently the world of athletics has been through a negative period with a whole host of stars including Justin Gatlin and Dwain chambers, failing drug tests. This issue will continue to cast a shadow over the sport. But there are athletes willing to give the sport a positive lift, one of these is Christopher Lambert, a specialist over 200m who will represent Great Britain at this distance and in the 4x100m relay team. Here we have a man who is currently giving youngsters the opportunity to show off their talent and helping them to hopefully fulfil their dreams and compete in the team of Great Britain in London 2012. Sports editor, Nicholas,approached to him,  olitely interrupted his session Paddington Rec to ask him a few questions, which he was very happy to answer.

I have seen recently you have been training young athletes over here, what do you want to get from this and what do you want to gain?

Chris: I would like to see young people run fast you know and just show off their talent. It is good to see them come down, work hard and train hard and show some skills.

What steps did you take to become a professional athlete and why did you choose the 200m as your main event?

Chris: I always sprinted, 200m was the event I became best at. My coach scouted me and from that to become a pro athlete you have to run fast so I ran quick and picked up skills from there.

Did you always want to become an athlete or did you have any other aspirations when you were growing up?

Chris: When I was a younger, I don’t know. I wanted to work in a lot of places I wasn’t sure, but then I started running fast and soon I realised I had skills I wanted to use.

What was your childhood like in terms of having the facilities to participate in sport and did this affect you?

Chris: I grew up in Peckham and at the time the facilities were not great. All we did was kick a ball around but it was not until I got older that I went to school so I could use the school’s facilities. I know the facilities are difficult to come by but I didn’t take up sport until I was a bit older so I was lucky.

Looking at your career in athletics, the 2005 European Indoor Championship was a setting that many people thought you were going to break through and get a gold medal. Because of your injury this wasn’t the case, but do you believe you are capable of reaching that form again?

Chris: Yeah, I think so, I am hoping that this year will show my form has come back. It started coming good towards the end of last year. I have had a lot of bad injuries but I feel I am back on track.

The World Indoor Championship took place this weekend. I noticed that you have not been taking part in the indoor season. Is there a reason behind this?

Chris: No, I just don’t do that many indoors. I did one season but I don’t focus on the indoors normally, especially in an Olympic year. It is too important to be messing around indoors.

Speaking of the Olympics, they will be held in Beijing which is fast approaching. How have your preparations through the winter been going in the lead up to the forthcoming trials?

Chris: It’s been good, training hard and doing everything we need to do. Everything has been done on the track, we are looking forward to the coming season and the signs are looking good.

This time four years ago you convincingly won the AAA’s championship to qualify but again hamstring problems stopped you from participating in the Olympics. What are you going to do this year to maintain a high level of fitness and if you qualify for the games, what do you realistically believe you can achieve in the 200m?

Chris: To maintain the levels, I have to try and keep myself fit and strong. I am a lot stronger and fitter than I was back then. I have to try and keep those levels up so I can compete at the best of my potential and that is what I want to go to the Games to compete at my best and see what happens.

In last year’s World Championship, no athlete was chosen for the 200m to represent Great Britain, how were you able to deal with that mentally as well as physically and how were you able to bounce back from that?

Chris: Mentally, it is a bit of a kick because they were trying to prove a point . I don’t think it’s necessary but as an athlete you have to take what comes your way and accept that you can always run faster. My motivation for myself is to run faster and give them no reason to leave me out in the future.

As you know, drugs are still is a very controversial topic, which is casting a shadow over the sport. What do you feel about athletes being able to take part in it after serving their given suspension?

Chris: With the Olympics British athletes cannot go if they have been banned and more countries should bring that in. It will keep the Olympics special. I personally do not believe athletes who have tested positive should be allowed in but that is the rules so people should get off Dwain’s back.

Speaking of Dwain Chambers, who tested positive for THG a few years ago. He was selected to participate in the 60m for Great Britain in the World Indoor Championships, many people have criticised his inclusion. How do you feel about this outcome?

Chris: I don’t think a two year ban is long enough, maybe a four year ban is not long enough you know, I don’t know. But the rules are that he served his time so he should be allowed back. What a lot of people are not talking about is the shot putter called Carl Mysercough who is in the same situation. He has been banned before and he is back in the team but no one is saying anything and I want to know why that is. I just feel that is out of order.

As for this year, Marlon Devonish was the dominant sprinter over the 100 and 200m discipline. Do you see yourself going back to the 100m where you were successful earlier in your athletics career?

Chris: Yeah, me and Marlon train together so I work with him everyday and I know what levels he is capable of and I hope to get myself near that obviously. He is a great sprinter and I want to get close to the times he is putting in training.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, do you want to give us a sneak preview of the special lady you will be looking to take out.

Chris: (laughs) No comment, Nicholas (laughs).

(laughs) That concludes our interview and I wish you all the best in the Olympic Games.

Chris: (laughs) Thank you.

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