Mark Hylton: Fifth

However, minutes after brilliantly snatching the gold medal Campbell, Caines played down his success.

He said: "It wouldn't be right to call myself British number one. I might be the best indoors but athletics is a changing game.

"It was very important that I hit the front at the bell and then slow it down to the pace I wanted.

"Then I knew I would have something spare in the home straight if I needed it. I do not have the strength of those guys," added the Birchfield Harrier.

Mayock fourth

Other British hope Mark Hylton had to be content with fifth place.

Caines and Hylton superb performances in reaching the individual final probably scotched any chances of the British 4x400m relay squad picking up a team medal.

Hylton seemed like he was carrying lead in his legs when trailing in last at the first changeover.

That effectively ended the British challenge and, after second leg runner Du'aine Ladejo lifted them to fifth position, they stayed second last throughout, although Matthew Elias and Caines both gave it their best shot.

The United States led until the final straight when Robert Mackowiak steered Poland to victory in a world leading time of 3:04.47 and winning margin of 0.17 seconds.

Fabulous

Russia set a national record 3:04.82 to win the bronze medal with the British squad clocking 3:09.21.

However, there was joy for Britain in the 60m final in which Mark Lewis-Francis smashed his personal best to collect bronze.

Lewis-Francis: Bronze

The 18-year-old won the 60m bronze medal in a world junior record time of 6.51seconds.

Two-and-a-half hours after Birchfield Harriers club-mate Caines won gold, Lewis-Francis posted his fabulous time to finish behind Tim Harden and another Tim Montgomery.

Lewis-Francis broke the British junior record three times in a brilliant start in his first-ever senior championships, shaving two-hundredths of a second off Dwain Chambers' four-year-old junior national best.

In the final of the men's 3,000m, John Mayock just missed out on a medal finishing fourth behind Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj.

El Guerrouj easily claimed the gold medal in the ninth fastest time ever of seven minutes, 37.74 seconds.

Belgium's world cross country champion Mohammed Mourhit was second in 7:38.94, with Alberto Garcia of Spain snatching bronze ahead of Mayock in 7:39.96.