Superb Meadows pipped for gold by Savinova in 800m final

JENNY Meadows produced the finest performance of her career but still had to settle for a silver medal in the 800 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Doha.

Meadows, looking to add to the victories of Dwain Chambers in the 60m and Jessica Ennis in the pentathlon, ran a superb race to again smash the British record she took from Olympic legend Kelly Holmes last month.

However, the world outdoor bronze medallist was unable to hold off reigning European indoor champion Mariya Savinova in the final straight, the Russian's longer strides carrying her to a narrow victory.

Savinova clocked one minute 58.26 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year, 0.17secs ahead of Meadows. Meadows, whose only defeats this year have been at the hands of Savinova, followed the fast early pace before hitting the front with 300m remaining.

The British team captain had opened a four-metre gap at the bell but was gradually reeled in by the fast-finishing Russian.

"With 100m to go I was thinking 'I'm going to win it, I'm going to win it'," Meadows said.

"I looked up at the screen and I saw who was behind me and I kept thinking 'Just keep going, keep driving'.

"Maria has run 52.05 for 400m this year and I knew I was up against it. When she passed I thought 'Keep driving'. I thought she was coming back ever so slightly at the end."

Meadows added: "It was a big challenge and the girls were enormously strong.

"When I saw the time I told myself that at least it was a new personal best. This event is very different and the medal is something special to me." The men's 4x400m relay team won a surprise bronze in a bizarre race which saw athletes from the Bahamas and Jamaica pull up with injuries on the second leg. The unexpected medal took the British team's tally to four.

The United States were runaway winners ahead of Belgium and Britain's quartet of Conrad Williams, Nigel Levine, Chris Clarke and Richard Buck who had been only the fifth fastest team in qualifying.

Elsewhere, Steve Lewis was equal sixth in the pole vault and Helen Clitheroe eighth in the 1,500m.

Lee McConnell, the only Scot in the Great Britain team at these championships, was part of the women's 4x400m relay team who finished fifth and last in their final which was won by the USA.

Shot putter Carl Myerscough also finished last, Samson Oni finished seventh in the high jump and Joice Maduaka crashed out in her 60m semi final.

Meanwhile, Chambers is now concentrating on further glory at the European Championships after adding the world indoor title to the European crown he won in Turin last year.

The former drugs cheat has few chances to compete on the circuit and is ineligible for the Olympics or Commonwealth Games, but is determined not to be bitter about his situation.

"I've had an opportunity to sit down and analyse my situation and there's only two ways I can go about it," he said.

"I can be bitter about things or I can be positive about it. These are the cards I've been dealt and I'm going to use them to the best of my ability, concentrate on running and I enjoy that.

"It makes me a lot more happy so I'll just do that."

Chambers, only the second Briton to win the 60m gold medal, added: "I'm just going to concentrate on the opportunities I do have, and the next is winning at the European Championships."

Of her pentathlon victory on Saturday, Ennis said: "I think everyone was expecting me to win but it is very special."