NEWPORT’S Christian Malcolm is planning a move into coaching the sports stars of tomorrow after he calls time on his track career.

The 35-year-old sprint star enjoyed an emotional winning farewell to Welsh athletics on his final appearance on home soil in Cardiff on Tuesday night.

Malcolm helped the Welsh 4x100m relay team to victory and confirmed that he will be hanging up his spikes at the end of the season.

The Newport sprinter has struggled with injuries and a problem with an Achilles tendon saw him miss out on a fifth Commonwealth Games.

But Malcolm was given a standing ovation on Tuesday as he shed tears on his departure at the Welsh Athletics Invitational after running the lead off leg in the 4x100m relay team.

“I plan to race somewhere on the circuit but it's hard to top that,” he admitted. “We’ll see what happens.

“One final crack at Usain Bolt would have been nice but I just might have to stick to the Playstation

“I have always been a battler since I was a young kid,” he added.

“Somebody said to me the other day when I have had the amount of injuries I have had they would have given up a long time ago.

“I have been injured every year since I was 22 and I am 35 now.

“I still carried on fighting and that is testament to myself.”

But Malcolm has finally decided to call time on a career that saw him win Commonwealth silver and bronze and a European silver medal in the 200m.

And he admitted that he is now considering life after athletics.

“I have a couple of things in the pipeline and there are a few businesses that want to be involved,” he said.

“I am very passionate about the youngsters and not just in athletics.

“If a child has a talent and it's wasted that is no good. I just want to help children realise their potential.

“My talent was always to run fast but I never thought I would get to this level,” he added. “It was only because I was persistent.

“I never thought I would get to one Olympics let alone a fourth, which was a home Games.

“I want to set up an academy and I have spoken to Newport borough and I will speak to Cardiff.

“I don't just want to set it up to tick a box; I am passionate about helping youngsters.”