Having won the 200m 24 hours prior, Sanya Richards makes it a long sprint double in Stuttgart by winning the 400m (© Getty Images)
Sanya Richards made history as the first athlete to complete the 200/400m double at the IAAF World Athletics Final as she gained revenge of sorts on Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, the woman who had beaten the US athlete to gold in Beijing.
Richards, an impressive winner of the 200m yesterday, produced a comfortable, though far from spectacular, end-of-season win in 50.41 from Ohuruogu (50.83), with Jamaica's 2007 World bronze medallist Novlene Williams in third in 51.30.
The Olympic Games had proved a bitterly disappointing experience for Richards. The 23-year-old US athlete was unbeaten over 400m prior to Beijing and was an overwhelming favourite to strike gold. Yet she performed below par in the Bird's Nest Stadium having to settle for bronze behind Ohuruogu, the World champion, and Jamaica's Shericka Williams.
So there was much to prove, especially for Richards, with all three 400m medallists from Beijing on view inside the Mercedes-Benz Arena for this lucrative end-of-season finale.
Richards benefited from a bullet-like start and held a clear lead at halfway with her compatriot Mary Wineberg running strongly from lane one, and Williams, that's Novlene and not Shericka, also prominent from lane eight.
Entering the home straight Richards held a clear advantage from Williams with Ohuruogu, who had made her characteristic conservative start back in seventh. Richards kicked again down the home straight to build up an unassailable advantage while the Briton burst through the field to at least secure the $20,000 second prize, although she was never close enough to get a clear strike at the leader.
Shericka Williams finished a disppointing fifth in 51.55.
A relieved Richards said: "I am happy as the season is over. Winning the 400m at the World Athletics Final was more important to me than winning the 200m."
Steve Landells for the IAAF
