Olympic Champion Linford Christie in Longy's hands

Mon 27 Sep 2004 - Linford Christie

WHAT a body! It was all that Longy could think.

Outside the massage tent the ground announcer struggled to be heard above the screaming jet engines from Sydney airport.

”Welcome to the Botany Bay Gift, where one of the world's true sporting superstars will be in action this afternoon.”  Linford Christie lay down on the table. Longy wasn't overawed; the muscles under his fingertips may have belonged to a former world and Olympics 100m champion, but there was no need to change his style.

It was February 1997 and Longy had his first overseas client.

THE year 1999 was no different for Longy, borne on the same swift feet that had swept him through 1998.

In addition to his regular commitments, he travelled to Mexico City with the Australian Maccabi Masters soccer team, of which Steven Lowy was a member.

His life continued at a frenetic pace in 2000, the most important date in Australian sports history: the year of the Sydney Olympics.

It wasn't surprising that Longy's services were highly sought-after, but in an unexpected detour from the green and gold, he donned the Union Jack after accepting an invitation to help prepare British sprinter Darren Campbell ... whose coach was none other than Linford Christie.

Unfortunately, Longy didn't have accreditation because he wasn't an officially sanctioned member of the British team.

However, in a stroke of wonderful timing and good fortune, one of his clients was called away on business only days into the Games.

He gave Longy his multi-access pass on this strict proviso: “You can keep it as a memento, but don't try getting into any events.''

Considering officials boasted that security was the tightest ever at an Olympics, Longy should have met brick walls if he'd tried. But he thought he'd give it a go anyway.

So on his very first opportunity he boldly hung the pass around the front of his Great Britain tracksuit, provided by Christie, and walked to the security gates of the Athletes Village. He slotted the pass into the turnstile that read the barcode. Click. No problems. Through he went. He did this every day for the rest of the Games.

No one even looked sideways at the cheerful Asian with a pass containing a photo and the name of one of the most identifiable people on the planet -- Rupert Murdoch.

Sydney Pain Clinic Open

Longy has opened his Sydney pain clinic to the public in support of his charity. He specialises in back and neck pain, shoulder pain, sport injuries  and other common conditions. For further information please go to the Pain Clinic page or Make an Appointment.

Read more

—  Australian Rugby League Captain receiving a back treatment

—  Pain treatment for rugby league greats

—  Dislocated shoulder for Manly rugby league star

 —  Shoulder treatment for Melbourne Cup winning jockey