Greene wins gold for Britain

DAEGU, South Korea (AP):

David Greene ended Britain's gold medal drought yesterday at the World Championships with a come-from-behind victory in the men's 400-metre hurdles.

Trailing in fourth place entering the final straight, Greene cleared the last two hurdles cleanly and overtook Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic and then got past Javier Culson of Puerto Rico just before the finish line to win in 48.26 seconds.

Culson finished second in 48.44 and L.J. van Zyl of South Africa took the bronze in 48.80. Sanchez ended up fourth.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, to be honest, that I'm World champion," said Greene, who gave Britain their first gold medal of the championships. "This was my aim all week and I'm proud to come away with a victory. When I get back to the hotel tonight, I'll be like this was a dream come true."

Greene downplayed Britain's struggles this week as Jessica Ennis gave up her title in the heptathlon to Tatyana Chernova of Russia. Mo Farah also couldn't hold the lead in the 10,000, finishing second to Ibrahim Jeilan of Ethiopia.

Performance

"I know that we (hadn't) won a gold so far but it's not to say Mo and Jess and the other athletes haven't performed," Green said. "Even though they haven't come away with a result they wanted, you can't ask any more from them. I was just fortunate that my performance was awarded the gold because I gave just as much as they did."

Still, the 25-year-old from Wales who won gold at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships last year is hoping his win in Daegu will give him the confidence to win on home turf at the 2012 London Olympics.

"If I had a bad season this year, it wouldn't set me up very well for next year," he said. "It is a lot easier during winter months to train when you have a gold medal on the mantelpiece. I have three for three from the last championships. I want to complete the set next year."

Greene's victory was that much more compelling considering how far he has come. Just a few years back, he was hobbled by injuries and almost failed to make the British team - hard knocks that Green said have helped him prepare for victories, like Thursday.

"I had a lot of injuries in '06, '07, '08. I was really struggling to make the squad," he said. "Now, look at me. I have totally changed that around and I am a totally different person, and a different athlete altogether. It was a good step to where I am now. I would never have been world champion if I didn't have those moments."

Culson, who finished second in Berlin two years ago, was left ruing a race he believed was his.