19 August,2009 07:39 AM IST | | AFP
Great Britain's Phillips Idowu won the men's triple jump world title here at the World Athletics Championships last night when he beat Olympic and defending world champion Nelson Evora.
The 30-year-old Olympic silver medallist won gold here with a mark of 17.73 metres the best in the world this season while Portugal's Evora was second with 17.55m and Alexis Copello of Cuba was third with 17.36m.
It was sweet revenge for Idowu who jumped his season's best for 2008 of 17.62m in Beijing, but still lost out to Evora's 17.67m leap.
For Idowu it was a moment that he could scarcely believe and had waited for for a long time.
"This moment is very emotional and I need five minutes to take a breath and to realise it," said the reigning Commonwealth champion, whose best previous finish in the worlds was sixth in 2007.
"I managed to compete the whole season and stay injury-free. So I was very much on the way to achieve such a result.
"Today (Tuesday) was one of the best days of my life. It is an amazing feeling," added Idowu, sporting his trademark dyed red hair and white headband. "I knew I would have to jump near my personal best to win and I am happy I did that."
