Linford Christie's Niece Crowned Miss England
Local athlete Rachel Christie will now compete for Miss World title
Athlete Rachel Christie, who is training at the Linford Christie stadium in Shepherd's Bush for the 2012 Olympics, has been crowned Miss England after a public vote on Monday night (July 20).
The 20-year-old, who lives in neighbouring West Kensington, is the niece of former Olympic champion Linford Christie. She trains with the Thames Valley Harriers six days a week and is joined by her uncle for some of her training.
Describing her talents and ambitions on her Miss England entry web page, she says: “My talents are at the track. I compete in the heptathlon which is seven events track and field and the 400m. I also have a trophy in Tai-kwando.
“My ambition in life is to compete and win gold in the 2012 Olympics which is going to be held in London. I would also love to do well in Miss England. I want to be successful in whatever I choose to do in life,” she said.
She says she is inspired to succeed in memory of her father Russell Christie, who was fatally stabbed in Notting Hill in a drug gang-related street fight when she was just eight-years-old.
Her uncle Linford Christie has strong connections to the local area: he emigrated from Jamaica to Shepherd's Bush in 1967 and attended Canberra Primary School in White City. He later trained with the Hammersmith Air Training Corps before taking up athletics seriously aged 19. He went on to win a gold medal in the 100m sprint.
Rachel Christie made it into the Miss England competition after being crowned Miss London City in May and is the first black woman to win the Miss England title in the competition's history.
She will now go on to compete for the Miss World title in South Africa in December.
21 July 2009
