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The European record previously held by Linford Christie was broken by Francis Obikwelu, a Nigerian-born Portuguese sprinter. Obikwelu achieved this feat on August 22, 2004, during the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. With a remarkable time of 9.86 seconds, he surpassed Christie's record of 9.87 seconds set in 1993. Obikwelu's accomplishment highlighted his exceptional speed and athleticism, solidifying his place in European sprinting history.