Manchester 2002: To Athens via Harvard and Manchester

As Chris Lambert floated round the bend and eased clear of the field in the City of Manchester Stadium three weeks ago it seemed that the Commonwealth Games had come early.

The winner of the third heat of the men's 200m at the English trials meeting could have been Frankie Fredericks in a purple and yellow Belgrave Harriers vest. As John Regis was not slow to observe in the commentary box, the young Londoner bears a striking resemblance to the African speed merchant in more than one respect.

Lambert has the same lightweight build and the same graceful, feather-light sprinting style. He even bears a remarkable facial similarity to the Namibian who beat Regis – a Belgrave man himself but a heavyweight of a sprinter – to the world championship 200m title in Stuttgart in 1993.

"When I was younger, my training group called me 'Frankie'," Lambert said, laughing at the comparison. "They all said I ran like him. I wouldn't say I've tried to copy him, but I've always admired Frankie: his technique, the way he uses his power in such a technical way. Since I was young, I've always wanted to run against him." That chance will come, it seems, when the Games begin in Manchester in three weeks.

Although Fredericks has yet to finalise his plans for the Commonwealth contest, he is likely to line up in the 200m. Lambert secured his place when he finished a close second to Marlon Devonish in the final at the English team trials, clocking 20.41sec behind the Coventry man's 20.36 sec. He was, however, more impressive in his heat, which he won in 20.37sec at less than full throttle – form which suggests the 21-year-old could yet emerge as the leading domestic medal hope.

In senior international terms, Lambert is certainly the British sprinting "find" of the summer, though it would be more accurate to describe him as an arrival. He was the fastest junior 200m runner in the world in 1999 and won a 100m bronze medal at the World Student Games in Beijing last summer. His pedigree has been long since established under his coach John Powell, who can be found nurturing a group of talented young speed merchants at Crystal Palace when he is not working as a police superintendent in Bexleyheath.

Just as Powell is not your typical sprint coach, his star pupil – who made his debut for the British senior team by running the lead-off leg for the victorious 4 x 100m relay quartet at the European Cup in Annecy a fortnight ago – is not your typical sprinter.

For three years now, Lambert has been an undergraduate at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Alma Mater of seven United States presidents, among them John F Kennedy and George W Bush. He is studying at Harvard's JFK School of Government (motto: "To prepare leaders for service to democratic societies; to contribute to the solution of public problems").

In the shorter long-term, as he puts it, Lambert is preparing for service in track and field, although not quite in the fashion of James Connolly, the Harvard man who made history as the first gold medal winner of the modern Olympics. Connolly resigned from the university after being refused leave of absence to travel to Athens, where he won the triple jump on 6 April 1896 – thus becoming the first Olympic champion since the boxer Prince Varasdates of Armenia in 369 AD.

Lambert has one year left to study before he returns to his family home at Nunhead, near Lewisham, in south London. "I want to come back here for Olympic year, to train for that," he said. "After that, who knows? I'll look at the bigger picture then and consider my options.

"You can't run for ever. I could step out in front of a bus tomorrow and break a leg. That's why I went to Harvard. When the opportunity came up I thought, 'I'll take it'. I get four years in the US, heavily subsidised by the university. What more could you ask for?

"The perceptions of Harvard as a rich boys' school aren't accurate. They have a totally needs-based assistance system. But it is different. I had to come to terms with being overawed by the university and the people. But you find your spot and get on with it."

Next weekend in Birmingham Lambert will be looking for a spot in the British team for the European championships in Munich in August. The AAA champion- ships, which run from Friday to Sunday, double up as the British trials.

Beyond that, Belgrave's Harvard man will be continuing his track education in Manchester – more likely than not against another sprinter who honed his speed while attending a leading American seat of learning. Frankie Fredericks, master of the 200m, is a graduate of Brigham Young University.