ATHLETICS

CHINGFORD sprinter Jeanette Kwakye proved it's not all doom and gloom for UK Athletics as she became the first British woman to make the final of the Olympic 100 metres for 24 years.

On paper, Kwakye was an also-ran, with the lowest personal best time in the eight-strong field and competing on the biggest sporting stage on the planet for the very first time.

But she tore up the form guide as she stormed to a sixth place finish, resetting her lifetime best for the second time in the competition in the process with a time of 11.14sec.

It was an astonishing performance from the World Indoor silver medallist, who had already exceeded expectations by reaching the final after a third-place finish in her semi-final.

After the final, Kwakye revealed she had abandoned all technicalities and had just heeded her father's advice.

“He said to forget about everything and just run and that’s what I did,” she said.

Kwakye began her Olympic campaign with a comfortable second-place finish behind USA’s Torri Edwards in round one before running a personal best time of 11.18sec to finish third in the second round and reach the semi-final.

An equally impressive run in a time of 11.19sec secured her place on the starting line-up in the pinnacle event of the sprinting world. And the rest is history.

Kwakye admitted she is coming away from Beijing with a priceless experience and one that she hopes she can repeat in a certain London Games in four years' time.

“I learned I need more of this kind of experience – you can’t buy it in the shops,” said Kwakye “I’m an east London girl, the next four years are really important to me – to make sure I build on that, stay fit, healthy and competitive.

“On the way to training I drive past the Olympic site everyday and I say to myself, I’m coming, I’m coming, I’ll be there soon.”