Richards' champion dream comes true

Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from Germany

USA's deteriorating track supremacy was partly resurrected by sprint queen Sanya Richards who bagged women's 400m gold medal with this year's leading timing of 49.00 seconds on day four of the 12th IAAF World Championships continued at the Olympiastadion here in Berlin last night.

Up to last night, 24-year-old American lass has been one of the most unfortunate athletes in the international circuit. Though she has maintained her position as the world number one in women's 400m for the last five seasons, she has never been a champion at a world meet. That was mainly due to the superlative performances of Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, who has been the undisputed queen in 400m, winning the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and World Championship titles since 2006.

But Richards finally bagged that elusive gold medal when it mattered the most. The Jamaican dominance in men's and women's 100m finals and Tyson Gay's eleventh hour withdrawal from men's 200m to concentrate on 4 x 100m relay posed a serious threat to the US power base in athletics, especially in sprint events.

True that the reining Olympic and World champion Ohuruogu was comprehensively beaten in her World Championship title defense but her sporting qualities in giving true credit to Richards was commendable. It was the dethroned champion Ohuruogu who described Richards win in the most appropriate manner.

"It was a good run and a brilliant time. I think she just wanted it more than the rest of us," the Beijing Olympic champion said after her defeat.

After the heartbreak of the Olympic final in Beijing last year, when she was overhauled by Ohuruogu in the finishing straight, and failing to qualify at the last World Championships in Osaka two years ago, the Jamaican-born American at last fulfilled the promise of her world billing on the biggest stage.

Obviously, Richards had looked a bit tense on the start line, and appeared at first to go off too fast as she did in Beijing. The 24-year-old ran a calculated race this time to cross the finish line in jubilation.

"I thought Yes, finally my dream has come true. Finally I have a major title under my belt. The hard work has paid off ultimately," Richard's said after her dream run.

Richards, in bright red spikes, clocked her 38th sub-50 time - more than any other athlete in history, clocking exactly 49 seconds - the quickest in the world this year. It could have been quicker if this celebrity of American track and field hadn't allowed herself to skip through the line.

Berlin's Olympiastadion, and its deep blue-oval track in particular has been a happy hunting venue for Richards who has won here three times in the last four years over 400m, most recently at the ISTAF Golden League meeting in June.

"It feels so great to finally hear my name announced as world champion and I can now say my first title was on the blue track here," said Richards.

She looked comfortable all week, sailing smoothly through the rounds with easy victories in 51.06 and 50.21. Many observers wondered if the experiences of 12 months ago would again bring her down in the final, especially when Jamaica's Shericka Williams, the Olympic silver medalist who was second again here, produced the fastest ever 400m semi in 49.51.

Richards added that a lot of credit should go to her coach Clyde Hart, famously guide to Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner, for making her more consistent and getting her to the start line with greater self belief.

Olympic silver medallist Kerren Clement joined Sanya Richards in today's American gold medalists' club, winning the men's 400m hurdles which was the last event for the day under lights. Clement, who bagged Beijing Olympics silver, successfully defended the World Championship gold medal he won in Osaka two years ago. But his timing of 47.91 today, is much slower than her achievement in Japan in 2007 - 47.61 seconds.

Two-time World champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic clattered the first hurdle which landed into Clement's lane. Fortunately, it stopped short of getting in Clement's way, and he charged down the backstraight and began to build up his lead.

Team-mate and former champion Bershawn Jackson also got off to a strong start and was up on Britain's David Greene from very early on. Meanwhile Javier Culson of Puerto Rico was running blind in the outside lane, but was flying under the radar. Clement entered the home straight in the lead - a position he maintained right through to the finish line, stopping the clock in a world-leading 47.91.

Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi too achieved something similar to that of American Sanya Richards but in a different event. After three successive silver medal finishes, the 27-year-old Kenyan finally struck gold in men's 3,000 steeple chase. Near the front from the outset, Kemboi took control with just under a lap to go en route to an 8:00.43 performance to finally relegate the 8:04.16 championships record set by another Kenyan, Moses Kiptanui, in 1995 in Gothenburg, to the dustbin of history.

Behind him the action was fast and furious, with the top four finishers all reaching the line in under 8:02 to clearly produce the finest race in World championships history.

Incidentally, Kiptanui is also Kemboi's coach.

It was a celebration time for the hosts Germany as 37-year-old Steffi Nerius finally struck gold in Berlin to win the Javelin competition in front of the absolutely delighted home fans. It really seemed like the gold medal in a worldwide championships would slip out of the German's reach indefinitely, but her first throw of 67.30m, a season's best too, was enough to capture the gold in her eighth World championships in Berlin.

Nerius proved age is no barrier though she didn't really start the competition as the hot favourite. Nevertheless, the German veteran had been the most consistent of the competitors during the last month before the champs. After Nerius hit that 67.30 first throw, even Russian Olympic silver medallist Mariya Abakumova could not answer even though she had set a big season's best 68.92m result in the qualification.

The reigning Olympic and World champion and World record holder Czech Barbora Spotakova was not her brilliant best and settled for the silver medal with a best throw of 66.42m. Abakumova only managed the bronze with 66.06m last round effort.

BERLIN, Wednesday.