WITH the Olympics only just laid to rest Linford Christie found himself in the familiar position of watching a Canadian, from behind, win a 100 metres. This time, at least, Christie was on the track and in the race and the Canadian was not the Olympic champion Donovan Bailey.

It was Bailey's not so illustrious compatriot Bruny Surin who frustrated the former Olympic champion at the Grand Prix meeting at Sestriere, Italy. Bruny winning a wind affected race in the relatively slow time of 10.17, Christie a full metre behind in 10.29.

Christie, officially in his last season of international racing, might have hoped that a quick return to the track would help expunge the sour memories of Atlanta.

Instead a false start, by John Regis, probably brought it all back. When they did get away, Christie was always under pressure. The surge that took the 36 year old to Olympic and world gold has been absent all summer. Christie knew, in Atlanta, that an early lead was his only option.

Which explains the dangerous game he played with the response timing on the starting blocks. A safety first approach in Sestriere only illustrated the point at 80 metres it was Surin who powered away, Christie whose running started to lose shape.

Christie now heads for Crystal Palace on Sunday, for the Performance Games, and then back on the Grand Prix circuit, with Zurich, Brussels and Berlin to come. Defeat by Surin, not even an Olympic finalist, does not augur well for the remaining weeks of the season. Christie, notably not a good loser, might have to get used to it.

Sestriere, at 6,726 feet up in the Alps, is always at the mercy of the elements, but often produces outrageous performances. None more so than when an official stood in front of the wind recorder last year as Cuban Pedrosa leapt 8.96m in the long jump. That world record did not become ratified.

This meeting was at the mercy of the athletes too who largely decided it was far too soon after the Games. The Americans, mostly, were still having their hands shaken and backs slapped at a formal reception with Bill Clinton. Only Allen Johnsons decided he could do without presidential praise and turned but Johnson, who comes from Washington, probably sees enough of him anyway.

Johnson was the only Olympic champion on display, but was far short of his Atlanta performance winning the 110m hurdles in the relatively slow time of 13.23, yet easily quick enough to account for Colin Jackson whose season, in its own way, has been as disappointing as his old mentor, Christie.

It was left to Jonathan Edwards to register a victory, but even with the wind behind him and the mountain beneath him, the Gateshead athlete took until the last jump and recorded only a modest leap of 17.67m.

Christie, one senses, may have a great deal of trouble handling the waning of his athletic power. Edwards, in contrast, seems still dazzled by his luminance last summer.

Ireland's Susan Smith was second in the 400m hurdles in a time of 55:30 seconds.