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Benjamin lives up to tradition RICHARD LEWIS meets a man of the moment – the latest in a fine succession of British 400m runners SEVEN YEARS ago, when Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch came into the home straight of the 400m at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, they looked across at each other and poked their tongues out in fun. It made for a cracking photograph – for many reasons. Firstly, there was hardly a better argument for the Friendly Games, seeing two athletes at the end of a long season in control of a race and enjoying the moment. Secondly, there were the cynics who said that if Thomas had been concentrating more he might have broken his British record which still stands today at 44.36. Finally, it was of interest because it was two British male 400m runners.
Since then, it has been difficult to remember too much to smile about from the one-lap event from Britain’s men. But now, with his voice probably fading quite fast after becoming the most interviewed athlete in the country, Tim Benjamin had arrived. He is here not to bridge a gap, but to build the bridge itself. A path he hopes will take him from the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki this week to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 where he could be one of the favourites – and then of course four years after that in London.
Full story in issue 59-31, 3rd August 2005.
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