HELSINKI. Aug 7: Race-hungry Linford Christie vowed here on Saturday to match Soviet sprint legend Valery Borzov's record haul of three European 100m titles, reports AFP."

And Russian woman sprinter Irina Privalova is also chasing history — by bidding to emulate Katrin Krabbe's 100 and 200m double four years ago.

•World and Olympic champion Christie. Just back from a hamstring injury, said: "Borzov got three medals and that is what I have come here to do. and maybe do even better later."

He also revealed how coach Ron Roddan had made him peak mentally for the race' — by not allowing him to run.

He explained: "I wanted to run in Monte Carlo this week but Ron said 'no'.

"He felt it was good for me to have the hunger. 1 think I could have run well at the Grand Prix meeting but It was a good idea — I Just can't wait to run now."

While Christie is a huge favourite to emulate Borzov, who won his first crown in Athens in 1969 before defending if in Helsinki and Rome. Privalova also has a fine chance to repeat Krabbe's spring success in Split.

The 25-year-old former skater has no pedigree in European Championships, but put that right in Stuttgart last year with a 200m bronze and two relay medals over 100 and 400m to underline her range.

• Krabbe has since been disgraced for drug abuse, which would make a Privalova double even more impressive here.

When Linford Christie surges out of his blocks during Monday's 100m final at the

European Athletics Championships. 60.000 Finns will be cheering ecstatically — and looking In the opposite direction.

It is not often that Britain's world and Olympic 100m champion is overshadowed but then, they do things differently In Finland.

Here, world-class sprinting comes a poor second to the Javelin. Both finals take place on Monday. So while Christie

will Purely earn a cheer, the roars will be for Czech Jan Zelezny.

Zelezny. the world and Olympic gold medalist, is a real megastar in this land of five million sptear throwers.

There is a nice story that the tower at the Olympic Stadium here, which hosted the 1952 Olympics as well as the 1983 World Championships, is 72m high to match the 1936 world record throw of Matti Jarvinen.

It is not true — but it should

be. in a codntry that has boasted a string of top-class performers in both men and women's events.

Few will forget Tilna Lillak, who won the World Championship gold here over a decade ago with the last throw of the competition to deny Britain's Fatima Whitbread.

Tapio Koijus (Olympic gold in Seoul). Kimmo Kinnunen (world gold in Tokyo) and Sepo Raty (world gold in Rome) are the Peles, the Maradonas, the Christies even, of a Nordic nation which has bred seven Olympic champions.

Raty — the only man to beat Zelezny last year and the year before — remains to lead the home challenge, and, Britain's reigning European champion and former world record holder Steve Bacley and Mick HUI will Join the chase.

But the Czech looks virtually unbeatable — unless rumours of a shoulder Injury prove serious.

His extraordinary feats, which made sure that the Javelin event was the quickest to sell out here, are currently only reflected on the record books.

But they will probably force another change in the rules soon to prevent him impaling some unsuspecting spectator in the front row at the far end of the stadium.

Javelin specifications have constantly been tampered with •but Zelezny's record of 95.66m last year again threatened the 100m safety limit.

Last time the 28-year-oId threw those sorts of distances, his Nemeth javelin — made by. his coach Miklos Nemeth — was outlawed because it had a carbon fibre section In the grip.

It might' be simpler to outlaw Zelezny himself — but the Finns would never allow that.