OLYMPIC CHAMPION Christine Ohuruogu left last week s World Athletics Champion-ships empty handed – but refused to be critical of her performance, writes TOM OLDFIELD. Ohuruogu arrived in Berlin to defend the 400m title she won in Osaka two years ago, but

OLYMPIC CHAMPION Christine Ohuruogu left last week's World Athletics Champion-ships empty handed - but refused to be critical of her performance, writes TOM OLDFIELD.

Ohuruogu arrived in Berlin to defend the 400m title she won in Osaka two years ago, but was blown away by American Sanya Richards and finished fifth in the final, despite a season's best run of 50.21 seconds.

And the 25-year-old fared little better in the relay as the British quartet finished a distant fourth in the 4x400m final on Sunday afternoon.

But despite the double disappointment Ohuruogu remained upbeat about the events of the past week.

"The other teams have a very strong make-up but we've had a good championships so we can be positive about that," said Ohuruogu following the relay.

"Obviously, I came here thinking I could win a medal in the 400m and the relay. I don't know what goes on in some people's heads but you have to go in thinking that you are medal contenders.

"You have to believe you can have a good go at winning a medal and that's what I did. It was tough and I knew it was going to be tough out there.

"In the relay we knew that we had to raise our game and it just wasn't enough for a top three finish unfortunately. But we can't be too hard on ourselves.

"I felt good. When you get on the home straight you can power on and see everything a bit better than you can on the bend and I thought it was a decent run," she said.

Newham teammate Gianni Frankis endured a frustrating championships in the 110m hurdles - but vowed to learn from the experience.

Frankis struggled with his technique and finished seventh in his heat with a time of 13.83 seconds.

"I got off to a great start but unfortunately the race is 110m, not 60m and I messed it up in the end," he said.

"I was going nicely through the first seven or eight hurdles. I hit a couple of hurdles, but it was the one I took down that knocked me off.

"And I need to concentrate a bit harder on clearing each hurdle so I can finish stronger.

"There is definitely potential there to go further next time and this is only my first World Championships, so I'll learn from these mistakes and come back fighting."

Meanwhile, Marilyn Okoro powered her way into the 800m final, only to be eclipsed by GB teammate Jenny Meadows' lung-busting bronze.

Newham-based Okoro finished eighth in a time of 2.00.32.

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