Osleidys Menéndez extended her recent domination of the Javelin.&nbsp; The Cuban had won the Olympic title with a throw just one centimetre less than her World record of 71.54 metres in 2001. Those were the only two throws over 70 metres. Now there are four!&nbsp; Christina Obergfoll of Germany amazed herself and us when she threw a European record of 70.03 metres in round two.&nbsp; But Menéndez had already trumped that, with the second World record of the week, 71.70 metres with her first throw. Steffi Nerius won a second medal for Germany, bronze with 65.96 metres.
Radcliffe gets her gold at last
Paula Radcliffe finally won the major title that her talent and tenacity deserve, when she ran away from the field to win the marathon through the streets of the Finnish capital, in 2:20:57. That is the fastest time ever run in a major championship Marathon, and the fact that most of her pursuers set either a personal best or ran close to it is entirely due to Radcliffe’s uncompromising approach. As usual, she set off with the intention of running the legs of the competition and, in contrast to the Olympic Games last year, she succeeded admirably. 
Radcliffe thus adds the World title to the superlative World record of 2:15:25 that she set in the London Marathon two years ago. She was followed home, as on several occasions in the past by Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, who was the previous World record holder, and also the defending champion.&nbsp; In finishing second in 2:22:01, Ndereba thus failed by over a minute to emulate the men’s champion, Jouad Gharib of Morocco, who successfully defended his title, in the modest time of 2:10:10 on Saturday.&nbsp; Third in the women’s race was Constantina Dita-Tomescu of Romania, whose eccentric tactics – dropping back then surging through the field - finally won her a medal, bronze in 2:23:19.
Radcliffe’s victory can never expunge the disaster of Athens when, as firm favourite, yet hampered by injury, she dropped out of the Olympic marathon at 36 kilometres. But, despite the occasional drawbacks, usually in track races, where her metronomic pace is not sufficient to ensure victory, this is another title to add to those which started with her breakthrough in winning the World Junior Cross Country title in 1992, and has included a European 10,000 and Commonwealth 5000 metres victory; in addition to a half dozen major marathon successes, which have netted her well over two million dollars.
Ramzi takes historic double
Rashid Ramzi created a little bit of history when the Moroccan-born Bahraini won the first ever middle distance double of the championships, taking the shorter race in 1:44.24, largely due to the incompetence of the Olympic champion, Yuriy Borzakovskiy, who conspired to get boxed in when he should have been preparing his final sprint. When the Russian did get going, it was only good enough for silver, in 1.44.51. William Yiampoy of Kenya won the struggle for third, in 1.44.55.&nbsp; So, a year after competing dismally in the Athens, when he was one of the fastest of the season at the 1500 metres, Ramzi has assumed the mantle of Hicham El Guerrouj, and proved a winner at 800 metres, a distance at which he was barely competent at outdoors when he arrived in Helsinki despite being an World Indoor medallist.
Russia’s night despite disqualification
‘Borza’s compatriots in the 1500 metres made no mistake. Well, it didn’t seem so, until later. Yuliya Chizhenko was the fastest of the season, but defending champion, Tatyana Tomashova had looked good and confident in the semi-finals. We were all intrigued to see what the former Zenelch Tola of Ethiopia, now Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain could do, especially after Ramzi’s performance. Jamal had clocked superfast times for 800, 1500 and 5000 metres, but chose just the metric mile. 
Jamal surged into a lead with 250 metres to run in a rapid race, but the Russian quartet ambushed her within 50 metres. It looked for a long time as if the Russians were going to get first four, as the US had in the men’s 200, and the Ethiopians in the women’s 5000 metres. But with ‘Tomo’ taking off for a repeat win, in 4.00.35, with Chizhenko in second in 4.00.93, and Olga Yegorova third in 4.01.46, Yelena Soboleva conceded fourth place in the final strides to Bouchra Ghezielle of France. However, after an appeal by Bahrain was upheld, Chizhenko was DQ’d, and Ghezielle promoted to bronze.
Limo wins 5000m lottery
You do have to wonder at the Kenyan team tactics, or lack of them!&nbsp; Yes, Ben Limo won the 5000 metres, but with four of the best/fastest men in the field, they really should not have left it to the lottery of the last lap. Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia was the first man to break after a sedate 11 and a half laps, followed by defending champion, Eliud Kipchoge. Craig Mottram of Australia got in on the act, but Limo, vying with Mottram as the tallest man in the field strolled down the straight to win in 13.32.55, from Sihine, 13.32.81, and Mottram striking back at Kipchoge in the last five metres, to take bronze in 13.32.96.
Ukraine tops unexpected High Jump
The High Jump got off to a storming start on a pleasant evening, with all 13 men clearing 2.20 metres. But by the time they got to 2.29 metres, things were slowing down – only eight men over! Then the rot really set in. Seven men failed at 2.32 metres, leaving Olympic champion, Stefan Holm of Sweden worst of that bunch. Victor Moya of Cuba and Yaroslav Rybakov shared silver on the count-back. And the last man left standing with the bar intact at 2.32 metres – but only on the third attempt – was Yuriy Krymarenko of Ukraine, who won his country’s only gold, indeed, only medal.
Relays go to Russia and USA
And so to the relays…. One of them, curiously enough, without the USA (I know, it’s an old joke, but it keeps everybody else laughing!).&nbsp; The Russians did get all four medals in the 4x400 metres relay, an emphatic win in 3.20.95, with Jamaica second on 3.23.29, and Britain third on 3.24.49, a national record.
The biggest surprise of the men’s 4x400 was that Christopher Brown of the Bahamas and Davian Clarke of Jamaica were right behind Jeremy Wariner with just 200 metres to run. Then Wariner woke up, and duly delivered the goods, victory and the 14th gold of the champs to Uncle Sam. Bahamas finished second as they had done, to the USA, in Edmonton 2001, and Jamaica was third.
Pat Butcher for the IAAF

Osleidys Menéndez extended her recent domination of the Javelin.  The Cuban had won the Olympic title with a throw just one centimetre less than her World record of 71.54 metres in 2001. Those were the only two throws over 70 metres. Now there are four!  Christina Obergfoll of Germany amazed herself and us when she threw a European record of 70.03 metres in round two.  But Menéndez had already trumped that, with the second World record of the week, 71.70 metres with her first throw. Steffi Nerius won a second medal for Germany, bronze with 65.96 metres.

Helsinki 2005 – Highlights, Day 9 – FINAL session

Written coverage of the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki, Finland (6 &ndash; 14 August) was brought to you by the following writers &ndash;Local Organizing Committee Media Team Event Previews: Leena Lavonius + volunteersEvent Reports: Matthew Brown Michael Butcher Steven Downes Ed Gordon Mirko JalavaFlash Interviews: Marton Gyulai Riku Salmenkyl&auml; Volunteers: Riikka Autio Marianne Finell Mikael Finell Ulrika Karell Niina Kuusisaari Katriina Saarinen Mikko Suominen IAAF Freelance writersFeatures: Paul Gains Doug Gillon Samuel Peters Pat Butcher &ndash; daily wrap Bob Ramsak &ndash; daily preview, features and news writingJames Dunaway - column IAAF Media staffLaura Arcoleo &ndash; features and photo editing Chris Turner &ndash; features + news writing, and editor of previews + features Sean Wallace-Jones &ndash; news blog, and editor of flash quotes + event reportsAnd&nbsp;the entire team&nbsp;would like to express our thanks to the support received from all IAAF departments in Helsinki without which are job would not have been impossible.We hope you enjoyed our coverage. Chris Turner IAAF Editorial Manager

Written coverage of the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki, Finland (6 – 14 August) was brought to you by the following writers –

IAAF website's written coverage of Helsinki 2005 was brought to you by...

In just his second season of elite international racing, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain completed the first-ever middle distance double at a World Athletics championship after his 1:44.24 victory in the 800 metres. It was date with destiny that few anticipated, except perhaps for the 25-year-old Ramzi himself.
“It was the first time I tried to do this double, and I thought I had the ability to do it,” Ramzi said after duplicating a feat that was last accomplished at a major competition by New Zealand’s Peter Snell at the 1964 Summer Olympics. “After winning the gold in the 1500, I wasn’t sure about the 800. I knew it was going to be decided in the final straight and I was ready for that.”
Last minute decision
Indeed, as his manger John Nubani confirmed, it wasn’t even determined that Ramzi would contest the shorter event until the 1500. “If he won the 1500, then we’d come back and run the 800.”
In hindsight, the decision was an easy one after a commanding 1500 metre victory that quickly put the world on notice and nearly instantly elevated Ramzi into the role of favourite, despite having run just one 800 metre race this season. Ramzi trained exclusively for the 1500 until his surprise win in the 800 in Lausanne in July; after his 1:44.73 PB there, his coach Khalid Boulami added the shorter distance to his training repertoire. 
After lowering his personal best twice in Helsinki, first to 1:44.30 in his semi and again to 1:44.24 in the final, he’s proved to be a very quick learner.
“I like the 800 very much,” the bashful Ramzi confirmed, “but the 1500 is my event. But God willing I’m hoping to be able to do the 800 and 1500 on a regular basis. I’d like to try it in the Olympics as well.”
Making up from Athens disappointment
At the last Olympics, Ramzi didn’t reach the final despite running some very fast times in the early part of the season. It was a disappointment that weighed heavily on shoulders since.
“In Athens, I was really ready to win the 1500 in Athens,” he said, ‘and I didn’t make it. So that really pushed me to today to complete this double.”
Despite his limited experience in championships races, Ramzi exhibited extraordinary tactical prowess and the ability to make the quick decisions so pivotal in the two-lap event.
In the final, Ramzi said, “I thought that all the athletes would be together. I thought that Yuriy had the same tactic that I did, to wait and come from behind to use his speed. Yuriy has the best speed from 400 metres out and I was worried about him. So I was trying to do what Yuriy was doing.” 
He also seems to absorb lessons quickly.
“In the semi final,” he said, “I got behind Yuriy and couldn’t catch him. So in the final I had to get in front of Yuriy to beat him.&nbsp; I was afraid of the Kenyans as well and I wanted to make sure that things would go fast. So I wanted to be ahead of them, or right where I needed to be to make my move.”
The one to beat
While Ramzi may have surprised many with his performances this week, William Yiampoy, who finished third in 1:44.55, was not among them.
“After his 1500, we were all expecting that he was the man to beat,” said Yiampoy.
As someone who grew up fully aware of the exploits of legends such as Nourredine Morceli, Said Aouita and Hicham El Guerrouj, he hopes to remain the man to beat.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

In just his second season of elite international racing, Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain completed the first-ever middle distance double at a World Athletics championship after his 1:44.24 victory in the 800 metres. It was date with destiny that few anticipated, except perhaps for the 25-year-old Ramzi himself.

Ramzi absorbs Athens lesson

Helsinki, FinlandAbout the same time that the defending World 5000m champion&nbsp; Eliud Kipchoge was racing through the mixed zone waving off interview requests, so obviously disappointed with his performance, Benjamin Limo the new champion was grinning from ear to ear.
After missing the gold by inches in the 1999 World Championships his six year wait for redemption had ended. 
“This evening I feel very proud to win in Helsinki. Really, six years ago I just lost the gold medal on the line,” he recalled. “This year I have managed to secure it, struggling over the last two championships in Edmonton and Paris. You know it is really quite difficult for us to make the team in Kenya I was hoping to do well in Helsinki and finally I have done it. I have secured the gold medal for Kenya and I am very proud of it.”
Not surprised
It was his country’s only gold medal. And though Kipchoge and Isaac Songok were the people’s favourites Limo’s agent and coach, Ricky Simms felt he had a good chance all along. So he was not in the least surprised.
“Not really. He was second in the Kenyan trials and he pulled level with Songok with thirty metres to go and that was a very good performance,” Simms explains. “He had a little bit of a back problem when he ran in Rome. He ran 12 58.&nbsp; It wasn’t as well as we expected. We knew that in a slow race he had a really good kick. We worked really hard on change of pace stuff in the last couple of weeks in London. I don’t know what his last lap is but he can run 51 or 52 seconds if he needs to.”
Limo said he had not been confident in winning the race until there were just two laps remaining of the slow tactical affair. Indeed the first kilometre was reached in a pedestrian 2:52. 
Speed work
“It was not the kind of pace I needed. I like a race that is 2:40 (per kilometre) high speed&nbsp; I was in front hoping to push the pace,” said the winner. “I wanted someone to assist me. That’s why I had to go hard the last 400m.”
“The World Championships can be anyone’s race. As we lined up for the start of the race I knew anybody can do it. Because you don’t know what kind of pace it is going to be and you don’t know how you are going to run.” 
“I gained a lot of confidence in the last laps because I was still feeling very, very strong. I had run a lot of speedwork. The last 800m I was confident of making something and it gave me much courage in the last 70m.”
A son named ‘Helsinki’
Along with the gold medal this 30 year old from Eldoret had other good news this week and it was a toss up as to which was most significant.
“This evening I feel very proud for my country for being the only gold medallist since the start of the championships,” he told the press conference grinning with pride once again. “But more than that I feel myself proud because while I am in Helsinki I had a baby boy and I think I am going to call him Helsinki. He is the only son - we have three daughters.”
Paul Gains for the IAAF

About the same time that the defending World 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge was racing through the mixed zone waving off interview requests, so obviously disappointed with his performance, Benjamin Limo the new champion was grinning from ear to ear.

Helsinki Limo

Helsinki, FinlandA year after her double 'did not finish' performance at the Olympics, that the athletics world wouldn’t let her forget, Paula Radcliffe finally claimed an elusive World title at the Marathon, and the winner couldn’t have been more pleased.
“I’m just very happy and relieved to win, the Briton said after her comfortable 2:20:57 win, more than a minute ahead of defending champion Catherine Ndereba. “I came in good shape and knew I was very capable of winning. It’s a relief that things went well on the day.”
Faster than the Great Czech
Actually, ‘things’ went extremely well. Radcliffe led from start to finish en route to the fastest-ever performance at the World Championships, a clocking that was faster than Emil Zatopek’s win here at the 1952 Olympic Games.
“I think it’s definitely special winning here,” said Radcliffe, after adding one of the few trophies missing from her extensive collection. “It’s right up there with running the World record. It goes with it. I think it’s important that as World record holder that I can show that I can win major titles as well.”
Radcliffe, who twice lowered the World record in the event that now stands at 2:15:25, refused to make too many comparisons to her performances last summer.
“It’s totally different from last year because I came in good shape with no health worries, so it was about going out there and running well and enjoying it. It was important. I knew I was coming into it in good shape. So it was important to show that and for things to feel right and go right today.”
Her plan today was a simple one, and one she executed exceptionally well.
“I wanted to make sure that the pace was good and that I was comfortable. I knew it was a tough course so I wanted to make sure that I had enough left on the last lap. My plan was just to go out in a pace that was comfortable but decent that I could just maintain and keep, and stay strong and be able to surge in the second half of the race. Which is the way it worked out.”
No risk form 10,000m warm-up
Radcliffe was criticized in some circles for her double attempthere; last Monday, she finished a distant ninth in the 10,000m in 30:42.75, using the run primarily as a tune-up for a Marathon victory. With her victory, she proved her detractors wrong.
“The only risk was to make sure that I came out of it healthy, which is why I ran in my flats,” she said of the track race. “I knew I came out of it healthy and that I was happy to complete my taper and be stronger for the Marathon.”
She did say that she expected more from the 10,000. “I was disappointed with it. I felt I should have run better. I don’t really know why I didn’t. Maybe I just had too much Marathon preparation in my legs. Even so, I think I should have run better than that.”
Radcliffe has already built a solid resume in other World Championships, collecting titles in Cross Country and in the Half Marathon. Her victory here was the next logical step. 
“I think the World Cross was very special to me as well,” she said, “It was kind of where I started out. And it was one of my big goals to try and win World Cross. And then after that the next build up was to win a World Championship title. I already had the Half Marathon and it’s important to have the Marathon to go with that.”
Hard to live up to
Radcliffe said she isolated herself from the media for the past couple weeks, not reading, listening to or watching anything related to her appearances here. After all, her own expectations were enough to try to live up to.
“The biggest pressure comes from myself because I knew that I worked hard this year and was coming in good shape. And it was up to me to show that and to prove that.”
With her two races in Helsinki now behind her, Radcliffe said she’s has given little thought to what will come next. 
“I’m going to go away now, relax and have my break and then just make plans from there.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

A year after her double 'did not finish' performance at the Olympics, that the athletics world wouldn’t let her forget, Paula Radcliffe finally claimed an elusive World title at the Marathon, and the winner couldn’t have been more pleased.

Radcliffe fulfills date with destiny

Gold MedallistRUSSIA Krasnomovets (2nd leg): "The race wasn't easy. We thought Jamaica would be hard to beat. We wanted to run as strong as we did in the first round."
"I was bit nervous because the first leg wasn't as fast as I had anticipated. Therefore I had some extra pressures securing the lead. I just focused on running fast. I am pretty satisfied with my run and very happy for the gold."
Silver Medallist - JAMAICA 4th leg, Lorraine FENTON: "We knew that the Russians had a good team here, that's why we accept the silver gladly. We knew that we could make a podium place. I'm happy with silver. I'm very satisfied with my own running today, it was superb.
Bronze Medallist - GREAT BRITAIN and N.I. Lee McConnell (1st leg): "I think I did ok. We had had a slight hope of getting a medal and now it feels great."
Christine Ohuruogu (anchor leg): "I didn't hear the cheering of the crowd. I was just running. I concentrated on getting the bronze medal. Now it feels great."

RUSSIA
Krasnomovets (2nd leg): "The race wasn't easy. We thought Jamaica would be hard to beat. We wanted to run as strong as we did in the first round."

Flash Interviews - Women 4x400m Relay Final

Helsinki, FinlandNow, that is what you call timing. Tatyana Tomashova repeated the feat of the great Algerian Hassiba Boulmerka from a decade ago by becoming only the second woman to win two 1500m titles and the first to retain it at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
But the manner she did it was all the more amazing.
The brilliant Russian, who finished second behind Great Britain's Kelly Holmes in last year's Olympic Games, has not had a great season and her team-mate Yuliya Chizkenko was arguably the more likely winner entering the final on her form here.
But in a superb finish, as Chizhenko looked like she was going to take the gold, Tomashova dug deep and powered through to repeat her victory from Paris two years ago. Boulmerka achieved her success in 1991 and 1995 but Tomashova's winning time of 4:00.35 was a season's best and what an occasion to do that.
She never made much of a mark during the race, but when she did after Chizhenko and Olga Yegorova pushed through, it led to a Russian cleansweep, which was later over turned.**
A year ago, Holmes was always in control in Athens and the best that Tomashova could have hoped for was silver which she won.
But this time, she was the champion again - and she said it was nothing to do with team tactics.
"We didn't have any tactics in our team so I didn't know what the others were doing," insisted Tomashova. "However, we knew we all had a chance to be in the very top. We are so strong at the moment.
"The speed was quite fast but there wasn't changes of speed. I was saving my speed until the final straight. At that moment I wasn't sure of winning but I was feeling very good.
"I have had some little injury problems during this season and we were preparing for these games very seriously."
"When I won in Paris I didn't realise that until I was back home. Now I think I am a little bit more used to it."
Chizhenko added: "I wanted to win but just 50 metres to go I felt I didn't have enough power to do so. Yes there was some pushing at the back straight but it was absolutely not planned. I was running my own race."
"I would have more sunny weather, but I am not complaining. The sweep feels great. That hasn't been possible for a long time."
It was Tomashova’s time though.
Holmes decided not to run here and though she had not really made her mark during the rounds, Tomashova saved the best for last.
It was a strange race, with no one really setting a great pace until with about 600m to go when France’s Bouchra Ghezielle took it on, and she eventually was rewarded for that initiative.**
But it was Russia’s day and for Tomashova, one she will remember for a long time.
Samuel Peters for the IAAF
**NOTE.
JURY OF APPEAL DECISION – 1500m Women Final
Following the Final of the 1500m Women, a protest was submitted by the Bahrain Team, claiming that Russian athlete Yuliya CHIZHENKO (bib number 623) obstructed Maryam Yusuf JAMAL (BRN).
After examining the video of the race, the Jury of Appeal accepted the protest, judging that the Russian athlete jostled the Bahrain athlete in a manner that significantly impeded her progress and should be disqualified under Rule 163.2.
Yuliya CHIZHENKO is consequently disqualified and the bonze medal will be awarded to Bouchra GHEZIELLE (FRA) who had originally finished fourth.

Now, that is what you call timing. Tatyana Tomashova repeated the feat of the great Algerian Hassiba Boulmerka from a decade ago by becoming only the second woman to win two 1500m titles and the first to retain it at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

Tomashova’s day

Gold MedallistUSA 1st leg, Andrew ROCK: "I just wanted to get the team out to a good start, make sure we are ready for the race."
3rd leg, Darold WILLIAMSON: "I did not do very well in the individual, so I was trying to have a good race here and give the baton to Jeremy (WARINER) in the best possible position."
4th leg, Jeremy WARINER: "It felt good because yesterday I had a day off and I am very happy with the two gold medals I won here in Helsinki. Our team is just great, we were pretty sure we could win, but we could not take it for granted. With 200m I looked up and Jamaica was right there on my back, so I had to stay focused on bringin the gold home."
Silver Medallist - BAHAMAS 1st leg, Nathaniel McKINNEY: "You know people have treated us like the underdogs, but we were always confident in the team, and we just went out there and did our best today."
2nd leg, Avard MONCUR: "We gave our best performance and we had a lot of fans out there cheering for us, so I am just happy and very pleased with the silver medal."
4th leg, Christopher BROWN: "This is a spectacular performance by the team. They kept it close all the way through and we are just very excited with this silver medal. We will go home and have a huge party in Nassau!"
Bronze Medallist - JAMAICA 1st leg, Sanjay AYRE: "This was the toughest competition I have seen in a long time. The race was very strong from wire to wire, especially the last 100m. However, we are very happy with this medal."
"We wanted a strong start, and we got it. This race was just hot!"
4th leg, Davian CLARKE: "My teammates did a good job and gave me the baton in a good position. Then I just waited for the last 100m, that is where this race really began."

USA
1st leg, Andrew ROCK:
"I just wanted to get the team out to a good start, make sure we are ready for the race."

Flash Interviews - Men 4x400m Final

Gold MedallistOsleidys MENENDEZ, CUB, WR "I wasn't aiming for the world record at all. My only goal was to win the gold medal."
"I felt a bit unsure, because I have some pain in my foot. This hard track is not the best surface for me."
"I loaded all my power to my first throw. I have this same tactic in every competition."
"I am very happy for the whole Cuban team. This has been a succesfull time for us here in Helsinki after the disappointments in Paris 2003."
Silver Medallist - Christina OBERGFOLL, GER, AR "I still can not really explain what had happened today. I keep asking myself, am I dreaming or what? I saw my throw a few times on the video screen, and I can tell you it was a pretty good throw, there are not too many things I can correct on it."
"I knew during the warm-up that I was in good shape. I thought maybe around 65m will be what I can throw, that would have been a personal best, but I never even dreamed of 70m. My whole family is here with my boyfriend in the stadium, but I did not speak to them before the competition. I am only 23 years old, I am a university student, so I think there is a lot left ahead of me."
Bronze Medallist - Steffi NERIUS, GER "Believe it or not I am very much satisfied with this bronze medal. There was nothing more left in me today. I just wanted a medal from these championships and I got that."
"After MENENDEZ's first throw I knew I could still have the silver medal. But then on the second round Christina threw that huge throw and I thought I just have to settle for the bronze. I said already after the qualification that 65-66m is enough for a medal and that I am capable of throwing that."

Osleidys MENENDEZ, CUB, WR
"I wasn't aiming for the world record at all. My only goal was to win the gold medal."

Flash Interview - Women Javelin Throw Final

It is six years since that sultry night in Seville when the Bahamas' women's sprint relay quartet delivered one of the shock results in World Championships history.But their male 4x400 metres counterparts nearly came up with a bigger surprise tonight, as they took on the mighty United States and pushed them all the way in the final event of these 10th IAAF World Championships.It took a last-leg split of 43.55 according to the official Seiko timing by Jeremy Wariner, the individual 400m champion, to finally breakaway from the dogged pursuit of the Bahamians, as he brought the Americans home in 2min 56.91sec, to 2:57.32, a Bahamas national record, bettering the time set in Edmonton in 2001, when they also took silver to the United States.Jamaica, another geographically relatively small nation, was also in the mix, taking on the big guys for all but the final lap, and comfortably holding off Great Britain for bronze, 2:58.07 to 2:58.82.Nathaniel McKinney had given the Bahamas a dream start on the first leg, possibly edging the run of Andrew Rock, the individual silver medallist. But at the break, Derrick Brew tok command of pole position from Avard Moncur, and Jamaica's Brandon Simpson, as teenager Martyn Rooney slotted the British in behind the three leaders, but ahead of Trinidad and Tobago. The pattern of the race was set. Darold Williamson kept his cool in the lead on the third leg, as Andrae Williams pushed him all the way. But once Wariner got the stick in his hand, there was little question of where the gold medal was destined - extraordinarily the Americans' only medal of the final day.

It is six years since that sultry night in Seville when the Bahamas' women's sprint relay quartet delivered one of the shock results in World Championships history.


Event Report - Men 4x400m Relay Final

Russians Win Gold
The Russian quartet of Yuliya Pechonkina, Olesya Krasnomovets, Natalya Antyukh and Svetlana Pospelova took gold in 3min20.95sec with Jamaica in silver two and half seconds down and Great Britain taking bronze.
After the disqualification of the Americans in the semi-final for a lane infringement it was clear barring disaster the Russians would have little trouble reclaiming the title they last won in Seville 1999. 
Led off in lane five by 400m hurdles gold Pechonkina she gave Krasnomovets a slender lead over Britain’s Lee McConnell from Jamaican Shericka Williams. At the break Jamaica had overtaken the GB squad with Poland closing fast. Out in front Krasnomovets was laying the foundations of a Russian victory. Behind there was a tremendous scrap brewing between Novlene Williams JAM, Donna Fraser GBR and Monika Bejnar POL. 
Antyukh went through the motions on the third leg consolidating the lead and handing over to 400m fourth placer Pospelova for the lap of honour. Jamaica’s Lorraine Fenton looked safe in second but on the final lap Christine Ohuruogu GBR was having a tremendous tussle with 400m hurdler Anna Jesien POL for bronze. At the entry to the final straight the Briton moved out to force Jesien wide giving her a few precious centimetres to work with, a lead she maintained to the line. Despite the disappointment of missing out on a medal the Poland squad had the consolation of setting a national record of 3:24.49.

Russians Win Gold
The Russian quartet of Yuliya Pechonkina, Olesya Krasnomovets, Natalya Antyukh and Svetlana Pospelova took gold in 3min20.95sec with Jamaica in silver two and half seconds down and Great Britain taking bronze.

Event Report - Women 4x400 Relay Final

Whilst the men's high jumpers were performing on a sub-par level, the 5000 metre finalist were following suit,&nbsp;as Benjamin Limo (KEN) sprinted past three rivals over the final eighty metres to win the gold in 13:32.55, the slowest winning time in the history of the World Championships.&nbsp; 
At 2:54.47, the opening kilometre was leaden, as Isaac Songok (KEN) immediately led the 15-man troupe on a jog, which eventual winner Limo took over by the end of the first lap.&nbsp;&nbsp; The second kilometre improved noticeably to 2:44.93 before the runners slipped back again into sleep mode with 2:48.34 during the third.&nbsp; 
Conservative tactics formed the adhesive holding the pack of runners together until Marius Bakken (NOR) forced the pace at the 3400 mark, with Athens 10K silver medallist Sileshi Sihine (ETH), Songok, and defending champion Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) going with him.&nbsp; 
With two laps left, Bakken still held the advantage over Sihine and Moukheld Al-Outaibi (KSA), but Craig Mottram (AUS) was moving up on the outside as 600 metres remained.
At the bell, it was Sihine leading Kipchoge and Mottram, but still with no one really going into an all-out final sprint.&nbsp; The Ethiopian then began to kick with 200 left as Mottram went along.&nbsp; Kipchoge then passed Mottram on the curve as it appeared that the medallists had identified themselves with only the final straight remaining.
That was the signal for Limo, who had been lagging just behind the leaders, to sprint hard the final 80 metres, passing the three front-runners and stealing the gold medal at the last moment.&nbsp; 
The silver medallist six years ago in Seville, Limo admitted, “The race was slow, and I knew the last lap was going to be very fast.&nbsp; I have trained well, and I knew I would be strong at the end.”&nbsp; 
The Kenyan Army engineer admitted that he and his teammates had a plan to work together.&nbsp; “We just wanted to win a medal for Kenya, hopefully a gold one.&nbsp; The plans went very well, although I did not expect to win today.”&nbsp; 
The champion also announced that his wife had given birth to a son only last Monday, adding “It’s obvious that I should name him ‘Helsinki’,”&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Sihine barely held on for the silver in 13:32.81 as Mottram put on a late kick to pass Kipchoge on the run-in, falling just short of getting the second prize.&nbsp; The Australian’s time in winning the bronze was 13:32.96, with Kipchoge’s 13:33.04 placing out of the medals in fourth.&nbsp; 
Sihine, in getting outkicked at the end, was not surprised by the Kenyans’ strength, “but I did not think Limo would win.&nbsp; Their tactics surprised me a little,” he admitted.&nbsp; 
Mottram credited patience during a slow race for his success.&nbsp; “The first few laps were very slow so I just tried to stay calm,” the tall Australian said.&nbsp; “Over the last kilometre I stepped up my speed a little, and then I just waited for the last 250.&nbsp; At the finish, I gave it all I had.”

Whilst the men's high jumpers were performing on a sub-par level, the 5000 metre finalist were following suit, as Benjamin Limo (KEN) sprinted past three rivals over the final eighty metres to win the gold in 13:32.55,

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