WITH arms outstretched in victory and a smile that threatened to outshine the stadium floodlights, Kelly Holmes last night stormed into athletics history with a golden double in Athens.
Holmes stunned thousands in the stadium and millions watching at home with an electrifying last-minute dash to the finishing line to seize the 1,500 metres title. Combined with her earlier 800 metres win, Holmes entered the elite band of athletes who
have won double gold at the same games.
In an achievement that neither Seb Coe, Steve Ovett nor Steve Cram could manage, Holmes became the first Briton to win both Olympic middle distance events for 84 years, since Albert Hill in Antwerp in 1920.
Holmes’ dramatic victory before 72,000 ecstatic spectators at the Olympic Stadium will go down as one of British sport’s greatest nights. Her stunning victory was followed just minutes later by a shock win by Britain’s men’s 4x100m relay team in a thrilling finish, beating the US by one-hundredth of a second in 38.07. It means that Britain has now leapfrogged into the top 10 medal winning countries, jumping from 12th to eighth position with total of nine golds overall. Britain’s medal haul now stands at 29, one more than was achieved in Sydney four years ago.
In a nail-biting run, Holmes survived a push by a fellow athlete during the final lap before she powered from behind to leave her rivals trailing. Each of her steps around the stadium was greeted with cheers of "Come on Kelly" and as she entered the final 200 metres, she even had time to look behind her.
A beaming Holmes crossed the line in style with her arms raised in victory to finish in 3.57.90.
Speaking after the race an emotional Holmes said: "I just can’t believe it. I am in absolute, total... I am just gobsmacked. After the 800 metres I had a lot of confidence and I was feeling good going through the rounds, but these girls are really good and I had to focus more than ever in that race. I was trying to place myself in the right position and put myself where I had to make a move.
"I wouldn’t ordinarily move up as quickly as I did, but the pace was so quick. I had to use all my guts to hold on for dear life - I was running as fast as I could. I could see them coming behind me."
She exclaimed "Oh my God, that is amazing" when she saw a replay of the final lap, a British record. But the athlete was unable to decide which of her two golds she was most proud of.
After thanking her family and supporters, she said she was off to celebrate her victory. She said: "I just can’t believe it. I’m going to have a good time tonight I hope. Actually, I am a bit knackered now!"
With a Union flag over her shoulders and another wrapped around her waist as a skirt, she then took part in her second medal ceremony in the space of a week.
Standing on the medal podium she fought back tears as she lifted the gold medal up, raising loud cheers from the crowd.
She then turned to kiss and embrace Russia’s Tatayana Tomashova, who took silver, and Romania’s Maria Cioncan, who received bronze.
Lord Coe, who heads Britain’s Olympic bid for the 2012 games, called it a "remarkable achievement", adding that she joined an select band of athletes who had won a double gold.
He said: "Historically the odds have always been against people doing doubles. A lot of people have tried it, few people have done it.
"I think her great skill in all this was to hold it together on the day between the semis and the final when it would have been very easy to have sat back and started thinking about what she’d done rather than what was lying ahead of her. And she’s clearly passed that test."
Others could hardly believe it had happened. Simon Clegg, the British team’s chef de mission in Athens, said: "I can’t quite take in the fact that I was standing at the back of a room watching Kelly Holmes give a press conference for her amazing victory and at the same time the relay boys are doing that.
"It’s taken us to nine golds which is the upper limit of the target I set."
Triple-jump champion Jonathan Edwards said: "You just have to sit there and pinch yourself.
"Kelly Holmes’ double is staggering enough - then the relay guys beating America! It’s a perfect performance by the British team."
Last night, the Prime Minister was among those heaping praise on Holmes.
A spokesperson for Tony Blair said: "The Prime Minister thinks it is absolutely fantastic."
Former 3,000 metres record holder Brendan Foster said Holmes’ double gold was the greatest achievement ever by a British athlete in the history of the Olympics.
Her success marks a fantastic achievement for the athlete, a former army physical education instructor from Pembury, Kent, whose career has been dogged by injury.
She first struck gold on Monday in a sensational photo-finish 800 metres final, one of the high points of the games for Team GB.
But she looks set to add even more titles to her collection, as Ladbrokes say they have now stopped taking bets on the winner of sports personality of the year as "this is the year of Kelly Holmes".
Plans are also afoot for a rapturous homecoming as her local council lays on an open top bus parade near her home in Hildenborough, Kent.
Marketing experts said she could see her bank balance rocket to £25m in sponsorship deals and enter the "premier league" of marketable sporting faces.
Celebrity media consultant Max Clifford said: "The gates of opportunity are wide open now. She won gold, double gold. She’s the golden girl - she could be a dream for a major jewellery chain to sign up.
"She could easily make between £10m and £25m before the next Olympics from advertising and endorsements. It’s a dream come true for her."
Last night her mother, who missed her earlier 800 metres win because she is scared of flying, said she had wept as her daughter crossed the line.
Pam Thomson, from Hildenborough, Kent, said: "Words simply are not enough at a time like this.
"Kelly has had a lot of downs in her career and has always thought that something will go wrong when she’s at the top. But tonight was her night and she was just amazing.
"Kelly was so happy when she got her first goal. She never dreamed of getting a second, but tonight she went and did it and made history at the same time."
Some fans at the stadium were even moved to tears at the stunning performances.
Gerald Harrison-Barker, 39, from Cheshunt near London, in Greece with a party of 12 to watch the Games, said: "As she crossed the line tears were flowing obviously, we are all adults except for three children in our party but we were all choked.
"It’s just amazing. We all came over with Union Jacks and placards saying, ‘Go Brits’, it’s absolutely brilliant."
James Deely, 38, chief operating officer in Athens for the Royal Bank of Scotland, said: "We will never forget the night Kelly Holmes did the double and our 4x100 metres team beat the Americans.
"We will remember it for the rest of our lives."
