Allyson Felix first to win three successive sprint golds

By Dinesh WEERAWANSA

BERLIN, Germany. Aug. 22 - American Allyson Felix became the first ever sprinter to win a hat-trick of gold medals in successive World Championships when she finished first in the women’s 200m final at the 12th IAAF World Championships at the Olympiastadion, Berlin last night.

The 23-year-old lass from Los Angeles may not have been fortunate enough to become an Olympic champion, settling only for two silver medals at back to back Olympics, but when it comes to the World Championship in Athletics, Allyson has really made her mark.

Last night’s gold was her third World Championship women’s 200m title in-a-row, a feat which no other sprinter has achieved in the 25-year-old history of the IAAF World Championship. She bagged her first World Championship title in Helsinki 2005, clocking 22.16 seconds in the women’s 200m final. Two years later in Osaka 2007, she retained her ‘crown’.

But her timing in Berlin is not her best in the championship history. She clocked 22.02 seconds to bag the gold at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, far bellow her superlative performance when she finished first in Osaka 2007 - clocking 21.81 seconds.

As Allyson crossed the finish line, her right hand was clenched in a celebratory punch of glory. She took a huge step to putting her despair from last year’s Olympic Games in Beijing to the back of her mind.

Allyson’s Olympic dream has been shattered twice by Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown, who has won back to back women’s Olympic 200m gold medals in Beijing 2008 (21.74) and Athens 2004 (22.05). But here in Beijing, the reigning Olympic champion was brought down to earth by the American lass.

“I don’t think I ever wanted to get over it (the bitter experience in China),” Felix said after the race. “That is a true competitor. You never want to be satisfied with losing. I am going to keep that moment. It’s going to motivate me,” she added.

The duo have duelled in five major 200m finals since 2004 with the outcome astonishing. Felix has won all three world titles - in Helsinki in 2005, Osaka in 2007 and now Berlin - with Campbell-Brown finishing second behind the American in the last two, while in Athens and Beijing, the places have been reversed.

“Veronica and I have been going back and forth for a long time. Every time I race her she brings out the best in me. I am extremely happy, being a three times winner is very special. I could not have asked for more,” the jubilant triple World championship gold medallist said.

Felix, in lane five, powered from the blocks with Campbell-Brown in the corner of her eye in the lane to her left. At the bend, Felix was slightly ahead and with the last quarter of the race to go, Allyson has taken a clear lead, racing forward in lightening speed. The American was stupendous in the flowing movement of her running and was simply unstoppable.

Campbell-Brown settled for the silver in 22.35 while veteran Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, the 2001 World champion in Edmonton, was third in 22.41.

The USA gained a morale booster ahead of the weekend’s 100m and 400m relays as Felix’s gold medal was followed by another World Championship title as well as a silver medal in the men’s 400m for the American camp.

It was on the Berlin track 14 months ago that LaShawn Merritt recorded his first victory over Jeremy Wariner after eight successive defeats in finals against the Olympic and World champion.

The 23-year-old Merritt, having succeeded Wariner as Olympic champion in China, has now denied him a third successive World title. Wariner’s four-year reign as World No.1 has given way to Merritt’s second straight year in the top spot.

Merritt recorded this year’s world’s leading timing of 44.06 seconds, way ahead of compatriot Wariner who clocked a season’s best 44.60. Renny Quow was far behind but his 45.02 was good enough for the men’s 400m bronze.

“I had run the race in my mind a million times before I stepped on the track and every time I had won,” Merritt said. “So it was all about taking it from my head and putting it on the track. The gun went off, I clocked into work.

I was prepared, I came out, and I conquered “The last time I ran here I won.

I have great memories of the track - big lanes, big blue track, great audience, great atmosphere,” the 400m champion said.