*** Brits Win Gold At Last ***

[Fiona]

BRITAIN'S 4x400m relay team have been crowned world champs - 13 years after they were beaten by Yank drug cheat Antonio Pettigrew.
Roger Black, Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch and Mark Richardson will be given gold medals later this year.

They finished 0.18sec behind the USA at the Athens World Championships in 1997.

But Pettigrew confessed in court two years ago he had been taking growth hormones and the blood-boosting drug EPO when he ran the second leg in 43.1sec.

Athletics chiefs stripped the Yanks of their gold medals and have finally agreed to upgrade the Brits, now all retired.

British 400m record-holder Thomas, 36, said: "I'm still disgusted at what Pettigrew did. It would have been nice in Athens to go on a lap of honour and stand on the podium while the national anthem was played. We've lost that moment for ever."

Baulch, 36, admitted: "There's a little bit of bitterness we were robbed of gold. If you look at the race, it's a joke. He comes up the straight like Speedy Gonzales."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0c15fZwIH