Sprinter Williams claims second gold at World Youths

GREAT Britain's Jodie Williams has claimed a historic sprint double at the World Youth Athletics Championships in Sudtirol.

RAW POTENTIAL: Jodie Williams helped Britain to their best-ever performance at the World Youth Championships with a double gold sprint haul

The 15-year old followed up on her win in the 100m with a photo finish victory over 200m, just edging out Allison Peters of the US Virgin Islands.

Photographic evidence appear to suggest the two teen sprinters were inseparable but after a two-minute wait, officials confirmed that Williams had won despite being awarded the same world leading time, 23.08 seconds, as her rival.

American Ashton Purvis claimed bronze in a carbon copy of the 100m result while Great Britain's Shaunna Thompson was fifth.

The last British sprinter to win both the 100m and 200m at the World Youth Championships was Harry Akinees-Aryeetey four years ago.

“It hasn’t sunk it at all. When I crossed the line I could see her, I thought I’d got silver or bronze. Then I saw the race on the screen and thought that she had won. It really looked like she had won, but then they announced my name. I’m so overwhelmed," said Williams.

“Obviously I had heard I had been tipped for it but I never believed I would, there’s such stiff competition. It was so close. It’s the first time I’ve raced athletes from another country, it’s the biggest competition I’ve ever been to.

“I don’t know how I did it, my legs felt dead and I was finding it hard to run the bend but they were right there with me and taking off so I thought I had to do everything I could to keep up with them. I threw myself over the line.

“My World Youth experience as a whole has been amazing, there’s been ups and downs but in the end it’s all paid off. I need to keep myself grounded when I go back home. 

"I’m going to go back and train harder. I want this to keep happening, it's an amazing feeling."

Elsewhere, Rowena Cole won bronze in the women's 800m in a personal best 2.03.83. Kenya's Cherono Koech took gold and Ireland's Ciara Mageean claimed silver.

It means Great Britain will finish the championships with four golds, one silver and one bronze - their best ever return from the event.

UKA Heroes project sponsored by Original Source is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.