▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁ 3 3 6 ▁( H amm ers m ith ) ▁Squadron . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁take ▁up ▁athlet ics ▁seriously ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 9 . ▁ ▁Professional ▁athlet ics ▁career ▁Christ ie ' s ▁early ▁track ▁career ▁was ▁not ▁prom ising . ▁He ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁Great ▁Britain ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁Summer ▁Olympics , ▁not ▁even ▁being ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁s print ▁relay ▁squad . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁he ▁began ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁earnest ▁under ▁the ▁co aching ▁of ▁Ron ▁Rod dan ▁that ▁he ▁began ▁to ▁ful fill ▁his ▁potential . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁surprise ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 0   m ▁at ▁the ▁European ▁Championships ▁and ▁finished ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁event ▁at ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Games ▁in ▁Edinburgh , ▁behind ▁Ben ▁Johnson . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁Athletics ▁in ▁Rome , ▁Christ ie ▁came ▁fourth ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 0   m , ▁but ▁was ▁later ▁awarded ▁the ▁bronze ▁medal , ▁when ▁winner ▁Johnson ▁was ▁dis qual ified ▁after ▁adm itting ▁years ▁of ▁ster oid ▁use . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Se oul , ▁Christ ie ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 0 0   m ▁silver ▁behind ▁Carl ▁Lewis ▁after ▁Johnson , ▁who ▁set ▁a ▁world ▁record ▁in ▁ 9 . 7 9   seconds , ▁was ▁again ▁dis qual ified