Christian Malcolm admits he considered quitting

European Athletics Championships 2010
Venue: Barcelona Dates: 27 July - 1 August
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Malcolm will star for Team GB at the Euros despite not being on lottery funding

By Peter Shuttleworth

Olympic athlete Christian Malcolm has admitted he considered quitting the sport when his lottery funding was cut.

But the 31-year-old's persistence won him a place in Team GB's European Championship squad when the Barcelona showpiece starts on Tuesday.

So Malcolm, whose 200m bid begins on Thursday, is doubly detremined to impress in his second Europeans.

"How I perform at the championships may determine whether I will get back on funding for next season," he said.

Malcolm, in the final cycle of his athletics career and will "go on" until the 2012 Olympic Games in London, had his funding withdrawn in October for the 2009-2010 season.

"I considered my position in the sport definitely," said the Newport sprinter who is thinking about going to university.

"Not because I didn't want to do it anymore but financially it would be tough.

This has been one of the toughest years of my life but when you get to a major championship like the Euros it makes everything worth while

Olympic sprinter Christian Malcolm

"And it has been tough. It is tough for everybody in this current financial climate.

"But I feel I have unfinished business in this sport and have three years left to go so this is my last time around the athletics cycle.

"People say I have the talent so I went to give it my best shot and not leave the sport with any thoughts of what could have been.

"I don't want to give up because someone gave up on me, I want to fulfil my talent and if it doesn't happen then I want to die trying."

Malcolm has relied on making money from personal appearances, family help and sponsorship to "get by" without core funding from the lottery.

Malcolm, who finished fourth at the 2002 European Championships in Munich, has only one outdoor major medal since catapulting onto the world athletics scene in 1998.

The 1998 double World Junior sprint champion won Commonwealth silver at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur on his major meet debut in a memorable year.

He has won a European Indoor title, a European Cup gold, a World Indoor medal, World Championship relay medals and has starred in Olympic, world and European finals.

Christian Malcolm finished fourth at the 2002 European Championships

But Malcolm has not emulated his 1998 Commonwealth achievement in any of the major outdoor meets since.

Malcolm admits himself that he feels he has "unfulfilled" his potential at senior level after his double junior glory.

He has suffered multiple injuries and illnesses before major championships, but proved any doubters wrong by winning the 200m British crown to seal his place at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Spain before running 20.50 seconds, his fastest time in almost two years, in France on 4 July.

The Euros in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium start on Tuesday while Malcolm's 200m quest begins at 1030 BST on Thursday.

"I'm starting to enjoy my athletics again," he told BBC Sport.

"I wouldn't say I fell out of love with the sport but when you get so many knock-backs and injuries it is quite hard to keep hold of it.

"I love running and it is nice to be back on the Great Britain team, especially as I didn't think I'd make the Europeans a few months ago due to my Achilles problem - so it is an achievement for me being here.

"This has been one of the toughest years of my life but when you get to a major championship like the Euros it makes everything worthwhile - and I'm determined to compete the task."