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Page last updated at 14:17 GMT, Tuesday, 19 August 2008 15:17 UK

Ohuruogu grabs gold for Britain

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Video - Ohuruogu storms to 400m gold

Christine Ohuruogu won Olympic 400m gold for Britain with a stunning surge down the home straight in Beijing.

The 24-year-old crossed the line in 49.62 seconds to eclipse Jamaica's Shericka Williams and American title favourite Sanya Richards.

Ohuruogu, who last summer completed a one-year ban for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests, added the Olympic crown to her world title.

The win makes Ohuruogu the first British female Olympic 400m champion.

"Everyone dreams about winning," said Ohuruogu, who sunk to the floor after her triumph. "But you never think it's a reality.

"I'm just so proud of myself. I crossed the line and just thought 'oh my goodness'.

"It's hard but my coach has always taught me you have to go into each race expecting to win."

Ohuruogu looked out of the race coming into the final bend but the Briton timed her race to perfection, just as she did in Osaka at the world championships last summer.

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Video - Proud Ohuruogu stunned with gold

Richards, who went into the final as the overwhelming favourite after a dominant season, blasted out of the blocks but paid the price for the early pace.

As the American faded, Ohuruogu drew on her strength and pushed clear for the line to leave her rivals in her wake.

Williams took second in 49.69 secs with Richards settling for third in 49.93.

Two years ago, Ohuruogu's Olympic dreams were in tatters after she was handed a one-year ban for missing a trio of drugs tests.

Under British Olympic Association laws, any drugs offence results in an automatic lifetime ban from future Games.

OLYMPICS BLOG
BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce

However, Ohuruogu successfully won an appeal last November because of "mitigating circumstances".

The Londoner was not at various training locations at specific times she had specified to testers and blamed a combination of 'forgetfulness" and last-minute venue changes.

Ohuruogu was born in Stratford, East London, just a few miles from the site for the London Games in 2012 and is tipped to be a star in four years' time, when her talented younger sister Victoria could also emerge as a challenger to her crown.

Ohuruogu's victory at the Bird's Nest stadium came just after Germaine Mason collected Britain's first athletics medal of the Games with silver in the high jump.


Athletics medals table

Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK
RankCountryGoldSilverBronzeTOTAL
1also show each event results forUSA79723
Men's 100m001
Men's 110m Hurdles011
Men's 200m011
Men's 400m111
Men's 400m Hurdles111
Men's 4 x 400m Relay100
Men's Decathlon100
Men's Shot Put010
Women's 10000m001
Women's 100m Hurdles100
Women's 200m010
Women's 400m001
Women's 400m Hurdles010
Women's 4 x 400m Relay100
Women's Discus Throw100
Women's Heptathlon010
Women's Pole Vault010
2also show each event results forRussia65718
Men's 20km Walk100
Men's 4 x 400m Relay001
Men's 50km Walk001
Men's High Jump101
Men's Pole Vault010
Women's 20km Walk100
Women's 3000m Steeplechase101
Women's 4 x 100m Relay100
Women's 4 x 400m Relay010
Women's Heptathlon001
Women's High Jump001
Women's Javelin Throw010
Women's Long Jump010
Women's Pole Vault101
Women's Triple Jump010
3also show each event results forJamaica63211
Men's 100m100
Men's 200m100
Men's 4 x 100m Relay100
Women's 100m120
Women's 200m101
Women's 400m010
Women's 400m Hurdles100
Women's 4 x 400m Relay001
4also show each event results forKenya55414
Men's 10000m001
Men's 1500m010
Men's 3000m Steeplechase101
Men's 5000m011
Men's 800m101
Men's Marathon100
Women's 1500m100
Women's 3000m Steeplechase010
Women's 800m110
Women's Marathon010
5also show each event results forEthiopia4127
Men's 10000m110
Men's 5000m100
Men's Marathon001
Women's 10000m100
Women's 5000m101
6also show each event results forBelarus1337
Men's Decathlon010
Men's Hammer Throw011
Men's Shot Put001
Women's Hammer Throw100
Women's Shot Put011
7also show each event results forCuba1225
Men's 110m Hurdles100
Men's Decathlon001
Men's Long Jump001
Women's Discus Throw010
Women's Hammer Throw010
8also show each event results forAustralia1214
Men's 20km Walk001
Men's 50km Walk010
Men's Pole Vault100
Women's 100m Hurdles010
9also show each event results forGreat Britain1214
Men's High Jump010
Men's Triple Jump010
Women's 400m100
Women's 400m Hurdles001
10also show each event results forUkraine1135
Men's Pole Vault001
Women's 1500m011
Women's Discus Throw001
Women's Heptathlon100
11also show each event results forBelgium1102
Women's 4 x 100m Relay010
Women's High Jump100
12also show each event results forNorway1102
Men's Javelin Throw100
Women's 20km Walk010
13also show each event results forPoland1102
Men's Discus Throw010
Men's Shot Put100
14also show each event results forItaly1012
Men's 50km Walk100
Women's 20km Walk001
15also show each event results forNew Zealand1012
Men's 1500m001
Women's Shot Put100
16also show each event results forBahrain1001
Men's 1500m100
17also show each event results forBrazil1001
Women's Long Jump100
18also show each event results forCameroon1001
Women's Triple Jump100
19also show each event results forCzech Republic1001
Women's Javelin Throw100
20also show each event results forEstonia1001
Men's Discus Throw100
21also show each event results forPanama1001
Men's Long Jump100
22also show each event results forPortugal1001
Men's Triple Jump100
23also show each event results forRomania1001
Women's Marathon100
24also show each event results forSlovenia1001
Men's Hammer Throw100
25also show each event results forTrinidad & Tob0202
Men's 100m010
Men's 4 x 100m Relay010
26also show each event results forTurkey0202
Women's 10000m010
Women's 5000m010
27also show each event results forBahamas0112
Men's 4 x 400m Relay010
Men's Triple Jump001
28also show each event results forMorocco0112
Men's Marathon010
Women's 800m001
29also show each event results forCroatia0101
Women's High Jump010
30also show each event results forEcuador0101
Men's 20km Walk010
31also show each event results forFrance0101
Men's 3000m Steeplechase010
32also show each event results forLatvia0101
Men's Javelin Throw010
33also show each event results forSouth Africa0101
Men's Long Jump010
34also show each event results forSudan0101
Men's 800m010
35also show each event results forChina0022
Women's Hammer Throw001
Women's Marathon001
36also show each event results forNigeria0022
Women's 4 x 100m Relay001
Women's Long Jump001
37also show each event results forCanada0011
Women's 100m Hurdles001
38also show each event results forFinland0011
Men's Javelin Throw001
39also show each event results forGermany0011
Women's Javelin Throw001
40also show each event results forGreece0011
Women's Triple Jump001
41also show each event results forJapan0011
Men's 4 x 100m Relay001
42also show each event results forLithuania0011
Men's Discus Throw001

see also
Mason jumps to silver for Britain
19 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Ohuruogu storms into 400m final
17 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Brits to watch: Christine Ohuruogu
04 Aug 08 |  Olympics
Find your local athletics club
13 Oct 05 |  Get Involved


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