Athletics: Fredericks gives credit to Christie

Frankie Fredericks of Namibia underlined his brilliant form this season by winning the 100 metres in 9.95sec at an international meeting in Paris last night, and then thanked Linford Christie for his improvement.

Fredericks, an Olympic silver medallist at 100 and 200m, equalled his best time for the shorter distance, set in 1991, with one of this season's best times. Olapade Adeniken, of Nigeria, was second in 10.17, followed by Terry Bowen, of the United States, in 10.19.

"I'm in great shape and the conditions were ideal," Fredericks said. "It's true that I prefer the 200m, but it's good to be doing well in the 100m."

Fredericks said recent training sessions with Christie had helped him improve. "We trained together in Australia and Florida, and I learned a lot from it," he said.

Only three men have run fas- ter than Fredericks over 100m this season. Trinidad's Ato Boldon clocked 9.93 in Ap- ril, a time equalled by American Dennis Mitchell last month in Atlanta. Carl Lewis finished second behind Mitchell in 9.94.

Boldon further improved to a 1996 world-best time of 9.92 at the US Collegiate Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.