Dwain Chambers of GBR on his way to winning the gold medal (© Getty Images)
It had been a long and sometimes rocky road, but finally Dwain Chambers secured his first global senior title to become the oldest ever winner of this title.
The 31-year-old Brit managed to withstand the pressure of favouritism to rip up the track in a World lead time of 6.48 and resist the challenge of American Michael Rodgers, who secured silver in 6.53.
Daniel Bailey also created his own slice of history, securing Antigua's first ever World Indoor Championship medal in 6.57 for bronze.
Yet Chambers would not be denied his day in the sun and was rewarded after a long career which first flourished on to the international stage in 1997 when he landed the European Junior 100m title with a continental age group record in 10.06.
It may have looked a straight forward victory for Chambers, who took a share of the silver medal at the 2008 World Indoors, but he strongly denied this assertion.
"It was the longest six-and-a-half seconds of my life," he quipped. "It was not an easy competition from beginning to the end. I was a little bit slower from the blocks that is why I was not as relaxed as I expected. Of course, I'm really happy because of the victory."
Rodgers, although disappointed to miss out on gold, took solace in silver.
"It is my first world medal, so I'm more than satisfied," he said. "The hard work finally paid off. I had a great start, I tried to get him (Chambers) in the middle, but he ran a great race. I'm a better 100m runner than at 60m, so this is a big boost for the summer."
Bailey, who finished fourth in the 100m final at the 2009 World outdoor Championships, took immense pride in winning a medal for his homeland.
"I was so excited to put Antigua and Barbuda on the world map of athletics," he added. This is my first medal in the history of the World Indoor Champs. I keep setting high goals. I am also hoping for a good summer."
Chambers had dominated the heats and semi-finals, but had to deliver the hard way in the final. Rodgers, the current US 100m champion, made a lightning start and Chambers trailed both he and Bailey after the first 20m.
However, the Brit is a wily and experienced campaigner and he refused to panic, chasing down and passing Rodgers in the adjacent lane. By the time he lunged for the line he was a body-length clear from the US athlete and after thudding heavily into the back boards he sported the widest grin in Doha.
Behind the medallists, the heavily tattooed second-string American Trell Kimmons clinched fourth in 6.59 - 0.03 clear of the fifth-place finisher Samuel Francis, the home favourite from Qatar. Ronald Pognon of France, the former European Indoor record holder had to settle for sixth in 6.65 with Nesta Carter, the Olympic 4x100m gold medallist of Jamaica, a disappointing seventh in 6.72.
The eight finalist Ibrahim Kabia of Sierra Leone did not start.
Steve Landells for the IAAF
