BARCELONA 2010: Born again Lewis-Francis is a believer once more
By Nick Clowes, Sportsbeat, in Barcelona
MARK Lewis-Francis. Born in Darlaston, reborn in Barcelona and proof perhaps that everyone deserves a second, third, fourth, fifth and maybe even sixth chance.
FLYING THE FLAG: Mark Lewis-Francis was stunned by his silver medal in the 100m at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona (Reuters)
The best quote of these championships is Dwain Chambers's analogy about athletes being like tea bags - and needing hot water to see what they are made of.
And it could just as easily apply to the rollercoaster career of MLF.
In ten years since Lewis-Francis announced his undoubted raw potential by winning the world junior title and six since he anchored Great Britain to relay gold at the Olympics in Athens.
Since then his career has plateaued, plummeted and plateaued again.
Injuries haven't helped. Last year he was dropped from lottery funding, humiliated by a sports agent now pending trial for fraud and started the season with a flurry of false starts.
After failing to impress at last month's UK Championships, he was virtually inconsolable.
"I messed up. I'm gutted, I'm really heartbroken," he moaned.
So in the bowels of Montjuic Stadium last night - where mentor Linford Christie scampered to his Olympic 100m gold 18 years ago - the contrast was stark.
Considering just a few days earlier his involvement in the Catalan capital was restricted to a relay place, Lewis-Francis was struggling to comprehend his silver medal winning achievement in the men's 100m final.
France's Christophe Lemaitre won gold while the Birchfield Harrier edged a thickness of a vest photo finish with four others to claim silver. Team-mate Dwain Chambers - the pre-race joint favourite - recorded the same time but was fifth.
"Let's hope this is the rebirth - it's been a hard two years," admitted Lewis-Francis.
"I've come to the European Champs just about making the team and finished with a silver medal - I'm speechless.
"This justifies what I have been doing though. I've still got a long way to go but after this, anything is possible. To be second in the whole of Europe - 18 months ago I would never have said that.
"Now I can believe it and move on from it. When I crossed the line I knew I hadn't won it but I knew I'd won a medal if that makes sense. I crossed the line and I knew I'd done something."
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