• World Athletics Championships

Greene powers to 400m hurdles gold

Dai Greene timed his run superbly to pip Javier Culson to gold © Getty Images

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• Profile: Dai Greene

Dai Greene produced a storming finish to claim Britain's first gold medal of the World Championships in the 400 metres hurdles.

Greene raised hope of glory with a powerful display in his semi-final, but after the surprise defeats of Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah the pressure was on to deliver.

But Greene is a composed individual and he produced a balanced race, storming home in the straight for victory in a time of 48.26 - capping a great day for Great Britain following Hannah England's silver in the 1500m.

After a couple of faulty starts, Bershawn Jackson stormed out of the blocks and was on Greene's shoulder by the first hurdle. But the American hit hurdles down the back straight and swiftly faded, leaving Javier Culson in front turning into the straight.

South African LJ van Zyl was the nearest challenger to the leader, with Greene back in fifth. But Greene so often keeps a bit in reserve for the finish and lengthened his stride.

He was still in third heading into the final hurdle, but met it on a perfect stride and with Van Zyl fading, he surged past Culson in the final 20 metres to claim gold.

"I was desperate to come away with the gold," Greene told Channel 4. "If I'd had a bad season this year it wouldn't have set me up very well for next year. It's a lot easier during the winter months to train when you have a gold medal on the mantelpiece.

"Now I've got three from three from the last championships (he is also European and Commonwealth champion) and I want to complete the set (at the Olympics) next year.

"I've had a lot of injures in 2006, 07 and 08 and was really struggling to make the squads and now look at me, I've totally changed that round. That stood me in good stead for where I am now.

"I've worked very hard to get here and that's why I can deal with the expectations, because I remember being bottom of the pile."

Kenya has a proud tradition in the 3000m steeplechase and Ezekiel Kemboi defended his title in devastating fashion. Kemboi, the 2004 Olympic champion, was beaten by fellow countryman and rival Brimin Kipruto in the 2008 Olympics and was intent on reasserting his authority. And he did it in quite stunning fashion, surging clear with 250m to go with a devastating turn of pace and celebrating most of the way up the straight, before taking his celebrations to a new level barely a yard over the line. Kipruto claimed the silver, with Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad in third, but there was only one story.

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