100/110m hurdles

Huge disappointment for Colin Jackson, who failed to earn the Olympic gold he so desperately sought at what will almost certainly be his last Games. The Welshman, his season disrupted by injury, never looked to be at his complete best and laboured somewhat through the qualifiers.

Given a rough draw in the final, the inside lane, his tension was evidenced by a false start. When the race finaly got underway he was always under pressure, clattered the hurdles and finished only fith.

Gold went to Aner Garcia of Cuba in 13.00 seconds dead. Ironically, Jackson had tipped him as his most dangerous rival prior to the Games and Garcia never looked like losing.

Future star Terence Trammell of USA and countryman Mark Crear took bronze, with another favourite, Allen Johnson, missing out on a medal.

Olga Shishigina won an exciting women's 100m hurdles final to claim Kazakhstan's first ever Olympic gold following the shock exit of favourite Gail Devers in the semi-final.

Shishigina ran a strong second fifty to surge past the field to win in 12.65 seconds. Nigeria's Glory Alozie, who led for most of the race, took the silver medal, and American Melissa Morrison claimed bronze.