Ohuruogu's golden run gets mixed reception back home

LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) Christine Ohuruogu's first gold medal for Britain at the world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan provoked mixed reaction in her home country on Thursday.

Ohuruogu, who was banned for a year after missing three out-of-competition drug tests in 2006, led a British 1-2 in the women's 400 metres final, winning in 49.61 seconds ahead of compatriot Nicola Sanders, yesterday.

A smiling photograph of Ohuruogu appeared on the front page of The Guardian newspaper and The Times published a photo-finish of her race on its front page over a headline reading: ''The moment Britain finally seized gold.'' Simon Barnes, chief sports writer for the Times, wrote a column headlined: ''She can run, but this golden girl can never hide from the disasters of her past''.

He praised her for becoming only the fifth British woman to win gold since the championships started in 1983, but was also critical.

''But alas, she cannot celebrate yesterday's gold medal without everyone pointing out that she was banned until this very month,'' Barnes wrote.

''This makes it an even more extraordinary achievement but she may well feel dismayed that the tale of yesterday's triumph cannot be told without a mention of those tests and that ban.'' Most reports focused on her plea to the British Olympic Association to lift her life ban and allow her to compete in the Beijing Olympics next year and she even received a message of support from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

However, 91 per cent of callers in a TalkSport radio station poll said her gold medal was tarnished and that it had not brought glory to Britain.

REUTERS BJR HT1652