COLIN JACKSON Born: 18 February 1967 Birthplace: Cardiff, Wales Coach: Malcolm Arnold PB: 12.91secs (world record) Achievements: World titles: 1993 (wr), 1999 Euro titles: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 C'wealth titles: 1990, 1994 World Indoor titles: 1999 Euro Indoor titles:
1994 (60m and 60m hurdles), 2001 (60m hurdles) AAA titles: 10 in total |
When Colin Jackson hangs up his running spikes after the World Indoor Championships, he will bow out as arguably the finest high hurdler of his generation. The championships will offer the Cardiff-born athlete a chance to end his amazing 18-year career on a high note.
But even if things do not go according to plan in Birmingham, Jackson refuses to be dissuaded from calling it a day.
As he pointed out last summer: "It's a home event, I will be just past my 36th birthday and the good thing about the 60m hurdles is it's short.
"If I can win it that would be great, but I won't carry on if I don't."
Certainly, adding another world indoor title to his 1999 win would make up for the disappointing end to his outdoor season.
Despite grabbing a fourth European title in 2002, he finished his outdoor career with a disappointing eighth place in the final of the World Cup in Madrid in September.
Jackson was also disappointed not to take gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, having to settle for silver in Manchester after clattering the first hurdle.
He gave notice to the world that there was a new star on the scene in 1986, winning 110m hurdles gold at the World Junior Championships and silver at the Commonwealth Games.
An Olympic Games silver followed in 1988, although it is one of Jackson's great regrets that he has never taken Olympic gold.
However, five years later in Stuttgart he took the World Championship title in consummate style.
Jackson took gold in a world record time of 12.91 seconds that has still to be bettered by the cream of 110m hurdling.
The Brecon AC athlete also holds the indoor world record after his 7.30sec in Sindelfingen in 1994.
A second World Championship success followed in 1999 in Seville, while there has also been a glut of titles in European, Commonwealth and Indoor competition.
Meticulous preparation has always been paramount to Jackson's success, which explains his absence from the World Indoors two years ago in Lisbon.
Far from injured, he was not satisfied that he was in the ideal shape to compete and decided to miss the championships in order concentrate on his outdoor form later in the season.
So the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham witnesses his welcome return and not so welcome farewell.
His career-long coach Malcolm Arnold, who is also set to call it a day when his athlete puts away his spikes, knows he will be missed.
"A huge store of knowledge will disappear with him when he retires and it will be a sad day for the sport.
MMIX
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