UNDERVALUED, under-funded and unappreciated and now set for retirement, the end is nigh for the athletic career of Christian Malcolm.

The Newport athlete won’t be going to Glasgow this summer for the Commonwealth Games and at the grand old age of 35 – it’s actually his birthday today – Malcolm’s time pounding the track is coming to an end.

The former Eveswell Primary and Hartridge High School student, however, should look back on his career with nothing but pride.

Malcolm, to be frank, should never have enjoyed as successful a career as he did. Not only was he constantly ravaged by injury, but at five foot nine he’s a total throwback sprinter, a pocket rocket rather than a long-limbed, gazelle like sprinter in the Linford Christie or Usain Bolt realm, towering over six feet.

Malcolm has won bronze and silver medals at the World Championships (bronzes in 2005 and 2007), the Europeans (silver in 2010), and silver and bronze in the Commonwealths (silver in 98 and bronze in 2010) as well as being a decorated junior athlete (he won gold in the 100m and 200m at the World Junior Championships in 98).

He never had a defining moment, despite some top class performances – his fifth placed finish in the 200m final at the Beijing Olympics sticks out – but Malcolm’s dedication to athletics has been fantastic.

He’s an ambassador for Newport, Wales and Great Britain and a credit to his coaches past and present including Dan Phaff, Christie and Jock Anderson.

We wish him nothing but success.