Christie was born in Saint Andrew, Jamaica and in Jamaica he was brought up by his grandmother. He followed his parents, who had emigrated five years before, to England at the age of seven. He was educated at Henry Compton Secondary School in Fulham, London and excelled in P.E.. He did not take up athletics seriously until he was 19. He also joined the Air Training Corps in 1978, 336 (Hamersmith) Squadron.