IAAF World Championships 2013: Christine Ohuruogu wins 400m gold

Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu celebrates after winning the women’s 400 metres at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow (Getty Images)

Britain’s Christine Ohuruogu claimed the women’s 400m title last night at the ongoing 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. With that she repeated her success from six years ago, when she had claimed gold in the same race in Osaka.

In a close race, Ohuruogu just managed to pip Botswana’s Amantle Montsho in the final stages of the home stretch to win by just four thousandths of a second. Both athletes recorded a time of 49.41 seconds. Ohuruogu had failed in her four of her five previous attempts this season in trying to beat Montsho.

Russia’s Antonina Krivoshapka took the bronze, much to the delight of the home crowd, with a time of 49.78 seconds to match her effort from the 2009 World Championships at Berlin.

Montsho was bidding to become the second woman to win back-to-back 400m golds at the World Championships, after Australian Cathy Freeman. And for much of the race, it looked like the defending champion had the victory in the bag.

But Ohuruogu has always managed to conjure up the magic at the major championships. Rounding the final bend, the Brit was at least four metres down on Montsho. With 50 metres remaining, the lead looked stable for the Botswanan to emerge victorious.

That’s when Ohuruogu put in a final surge, which enabled her to just pip Montsho to the finishing line. Montsho surprisingly, failed to lean into the finish line, continuing on her trademark upright posture. After a 45 second wait by both athletes, it was revealed that Ohuruogu was the women’s 400m champion.