Hometown favourite, Eunice BARBER (FRA), fell to the ground while the crowd leapt to their feet in delight when she stole gold in the women's Long Jump Final on the very last jump of the competition.
With tens of thousands of people cheering her down the runway, Barber flew out to 6.99m to win by some 25cm from Russian Tatyana KOTOVA.
But the competition wasn't always so one-sided - it was quite the opposite.
In the second round Kotova, who led the world rankings last year with 7.42m, recorded 6.74m to lead to competition. But Barber quickly matched it a few jumps later. The Frenchwoman now held the top position on countback.
In the fourth round, the Russian moved back into the lead on countback, recording a mark of 6.72m to have the better supplementary jump.
Meanwhile, Barber, who was in her fourth day of competition at these championships, seemed to be struggling, recordng fouls and 6.48m.
In the final round, Kotova didn't improve and still held onto her slim lead. She did however, join the crowd in clapping for Barber as she powered down the runway.
Barber's final jump looked huge and it was confirmed as the scoreboard flashed up 6.99m. Kotova, the silver medallist in 2001, finished second again.
India's Anju Bobby GEORGE gave the leading two a fright in the fifth round when she recorded a season's best 6.70m to move into third place, just four centimetres off the lead. The 2002 Asian Games champion, who is coached by men's world record holder Mike Powell, had a tough battle for the bronze medal with Britain's Jade JOHNSON. Johnson, who was second at last year's European Championships, had held onto third place for the first half of the competition with 6.63m but she couldn't surpass the Indian in the final three rounds and finished in fourth. GEORGE was third, giving India its first ever World Championship medal.
Defending champion, Fiona MAY (ITA), returning to competition after childbirth, missed the cut and ended up in ninth place. With only 6.46m against her name she only needed one more centimetre to make the top eight, but leapt 6.42m from well behind the board on her final attempt.
With tens of thousands of people cheering her down the runway, Barber flew out to 6.99m to win by some 25cm from Russian Tatyana KOTOVA.
But the competition wasn't always so one-sided - it was quite the opposite.
In the second round Kotova, who led the world rankings last year with 7.42m, recorded 6.74m to lead to competition. But Barber quickly matched it a few jumps later. The Frenchwoman now held the top position on countback.
In the fourth round, the Russian moved back into the lead on countback, recording a mark of 6.72m to have the better supplementary jump.
Meanwhile, Barber, who was in her fourth day of competition at these championships, seemed to be struggling, recordng fouls and 6.48m.
In the final round, Kotova didn't improve and still held onto her slim lead. She did however, join the crowd in clapping for Barber as she powered down the runway.
Barber's final jump looked huge and it was confirmed as the scoreboard flashed up 6.99m. Kotova, the silver medallist in 2001, finished second again.
India's Anju Bobby GEORGE gave the leading two a fright in the fifth round when she recorded a season's best 6.70m to move into third place, just four centimetres off the lead. The 2002 Asian Games champion, who is coached by men's world record holder Mike Powell, had a tough battle for the bronze medal with Britain's Jade JOHNSON. Johnson, who was second at last year's European Championships, had held onto third place for the first half of the competition with 6.63m but she couldn't surpass the Indian in the final three rounds and finished in fourth. GEORGE was third, giving India its first ever World Championship medal.
Defending champion, Fiona MAY (ITA), returning to competition after childbirth, missed the cut and ended up in ninth place. With only 6.46m against her name she only needed one more centimetre to make the top eight, but leapt 6.42m from well behind the board on her final attempt.
