Karol Grzegorczyk powered down the home straight to set a new Championships record as he took gold in the men’s 400 metre final with 46.90.
Piotr Kedzia made it a Polish double as he came through strongly in the last metres to edge Jermaine Gonzales of Jamaica and take silver with 47.12 to Gonzales’ 47.51. All of the medallists set personal best, as did the fourth place finisher, Ryan Preddy of Great Britain with 47.80.
Kimani Williams of Jamaica shot out of the blocks and pulled up twenty metres down into the first bend with a muscle pull, making him a non-finisher.
Grzegorczyk said afterwards that he would have been pleased with any medal, even thoug he came through as favourite after the semis. His pleasure was doubled by Kdzia's silver: "It is wonderful that my compatriot finsihed second! Is there a secret to all this? Sure, but I cannot tell you," he laughed.
"One thing that I will tell is that I would like to be in the final in the 2004 Olympics in Athens."
