MONTREAL - Sprinter Bruny Surin filed a $63,000 lawsuit Tuesday against LifeMark Health Management of Toronto, for allegedly reneging on a four-year endorsement deal.

According to documents filed in Quebec Superior Court, the health-services firm abruptly terminated Surin's contract last November. The suit said the firm explained that it was undergoing a major restructuring effort and was changing its company philosophy. Surin alleges in the suit that LifeMark had no legal right to end the deal, and he asked the court to force the firm to pay him the $63,333 remaining under the terms of the deal.

Surin, a former world indoor champion and 1996 Olympic relay gold medallist, signed a contract in the summer of 2000 to serve as LifeMark's official spokesman.

The suit alleges that the Surin was to be paid $40,000 per year for the first two years of the deal and an additional $20,000 annually for each of the following two years.

Surin, of Rosemere, Que., is one Canada's most decorated sprinters, having won gold medals in the 60-metre dash at the 1994 and 1995 world indoor championships.

Surin also won silver in the 100 metres at the 1995 and 1999 world track and field championships, and gold in the 4x100-metre relay at the '95 worlds and the '96 Olympics in Atlanta.