Tyler Christopher sets a Canadian national 400m record of 44.72 in Belem (© roberto wander)
Helsinki, FinlandMoments after recording his first ever TDK Golden League victory before 70,000 spectators in Paris, Tyler Christopher tossed his bouquet of flowers into the crowd and walked off the track. Although his winning time of 44.69 was his second Canadian record of the season, and his margin of victory over a world class field was a whopping six-tenths of a second, the 21-year-old declined the customary victory lap.
Taking on the best in the world
“A victory lap may come with a couple of year’s experience,” he deadpans, “and with being able to walk after my race!”
Christopher has his mind set on a much bigger target this year - to win the World Championships 400m in Helsinki. A year ago he watched Jeremy Wariner win the Olympic 400m final from the living room in his Edmonton apartment having failed to make the Olympic qualifying standard. Although the two have yet to race each other the Canadian relishes the opportunity to take on the best in the world.
And, before one dismisses Christopher’s aim as far fetched it’s worth noting that two days after winning Paris he ran 45.15 in Padova, Italy notching up his fourth international victory in as many starts. Most importantly he and coach Kevin Tyler, who runs the Canadian Athletics Training Centre at the University of Alberta, had an ulterior motive in scheduling the races so close together and otherwise racing sparingly.
“It was planned, kind of, to replicate, as best as possible, the rounds in the worlds,” he explains, “to be able to race under extreme conditions - race, travel, race, that’s pretty hard to do so we just tried to replicate a hard situation. The track itself in Padova we had no control over. Our spikes stuck to the track.”
“That (Paris) was my first Golden League meet I was pretty happy to be able to make my debut there and come out on top. I have a goal in mind and that is the Worlds and not to chase a million dollars. This year I want to stay healthy and go and win at the Worlds.”
Extreme sports
Though he was born in Chilliwack, B.C. Christopher moved to Edmonton to join coach Tyler’s group. In doing so he has pledged to put his other sporting interests on hold. Until he got into track and field seriously two years ago he preferred snow boarding, motorcross, and other extreme sports.
Athletics Canada has identified him as a medal hopeful for the Beijing Olympics so he receives financial aid from Canada’s “Excellence Programme” and he also receives $1500 Canadian, a month from the government carding system. On top of this he has an undisclosed cash sponsorship from Nike which has meant he need not work.
“I came to Edmonton to work construction but that never happened,” Christopher reveals. “I was a snowboard instructor for a while then worked in the bars for about a year and a half. And, I did some landscaping for a year and tried to train through it all. I had to pay the bills somehow. Basically I was doing that all the way up to last year. This is the first year I haven’t had a job - except I work at Earl’s Restaurant. They are just really nice they work to my schedule. I go in every once in a while, mainly in the winter. I am a cook. I needed to learn to cook a little better.”
He has plans to return to the kitchen once the season is over and he fully expects it will be as a world champion medalist.
A Canadian product
Both athlete and coach are extremely proud of the fact that he is living and training in Canada and can honestly say he is a product of the Canadian system. That is rare. Every Canadian who reached the top 8 at the Olympics a year ago lives in the United States and trains under foreign coaches. Christopher feels he can be the example to other Canadians who are lured inside the U.S. scholarship system. And he also differs from many other athletes in that he is not tempted to chase prize money.
“I figure if I am going to run my best times then I have got to do it at my pace and not anyone else’s pace. If I continue to run fast the money is going to come no matter what. So I can’t be greedy and run around for $5000 here $10,000 ‘whoop de doo’. I like to prepare. You prepare for the worlds and you can win $60,000 there or, whatever the prize is there. I am not really looking at the numbers. I just want to go and race.”
The only blemish on Christopher’s 2005 season was when he pulled up in the qualifying heats of the Canadian championships. The week prior he had suffered from the flu and had a fever. Feeling less than comfortable he decided not to risk anything. Now he says he is ready to go. The final week of preparations will take place in the Canadian team’s camp near Berlin.
Already Christopher has had an enviable season - four races, four victories with three of them sub 45 second clockings. Obviously his performances will have raised eyebrows. So, is he worried that he has drawn the attention of the world’s best 400m runners?
“I have run fast but I haven’t run blazing. That’s another reason why I don’t want to hit every race,” he explains. “I have kind of stayed away from some of them. You beat them and you kind of put a target on your back. There’s not much I can do about it if I have a target on my back. Let them come. If I don’t then hey I am still under the radar. Like I said, if I can put my race together I can surprise a lot of people.
Paul Gains for the IAAF
