BERLIN — Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who almost quit the sport, ran a season’s best 12.51secs to finally win a gold in the women’s 100m hurdles at the world athletics championships on Tuesday.
Foster-Hylton had won world bronze in Helsinki in 2005 and silver in Paris in 2003, but ran brilliantly to secure the gold at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
Foster-Hylton won ahead of out Canada’s Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep who ran 12.54secs, while another Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London took third in 12.55.
The 34-year-old initially danced a jig of delight with Lopes-Schliep when the pair realised they had both medalled, but the Jamaican then slumped to the track as her emotions got the better of her.
"This is an amazing feeling. I give it all to my coach [Stephen Francis]," she said. "Before the race, I visualized it and told myself to close the eyes after the last hurdle in order to give everything.
"So on the finish line I did not know that I was first because my eyes were closed. Then Priscilla told me I won! I have waited many years for this title, it has been five years since Paris, since I found myself in gold medal shape."
Her delight was in sharp contrast to both Beijing silver-medallist Sally McLellan from Australia and Olympic gold medallist Dawn Harper of the United States.
Harper had earlier scorched into the final with a personal best in Wednesday evenings semi-final when she flew over the hurdles in 12.48sec to throw down the gauntlet to her rivals.
But in the final, two and a half hours later, she could only clock 12.81sec to finish seventh while McLellan finished a disappointing fifth in a time of 12.70sec.
There was delight for Ireland’s Derval O’Rourke who ran a new national record of 12.67sec to finish fourth, but just out of the medals.
CONGRATULATIONS Brigitte…Finally you did it. Thank God you did not retire as you said you would have after the Olympics. You deserve it…as you have represented us very very well and you are poetry in motion when you are hurdling. Congrats to Delloreen too….Pity you didn’t mint silver. But nevertheless you did us proud.
First of all A big congrats to Brigette. I can only imagine how it must have felt after waiting for so long. The very emotional celebration was even better than the anticlimactic race. Kudos to Dolloren as well. what a way to finish for the two veterans.
With all of Stephen Francis’ athletes performing so well and always giving props to him for their performance, This paints a picture of a coach that truly cares about his athletes. So all the angst against him for his arrogance is somewhat negated. Now Imagine if the JAAA had pulled out all his athletes because they did not show up for some camp formalities. Five of the medals Jamaicas current Seven medals at this event would not have materialized.
I think he had the athletes interest in his decision because they are all proud of him.