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Tobagonian Josanne Lucas has won the bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the World Championships in Berlin yesterday. The Tobago lass is the first female athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to earn a medal at the global track and field meet. “We did it,” a relieved Lucas exclaimed after the race. “I knew it was going to take a huge personal best.”

And she was equal to the task, completing her circuit of the bright blue track in 53.20 seconds, a new national record. The clocking was a full 78-hundredths of a second faster than her previous best, the short-lived 53.98 Trinidad and Tobago standard she had established in Tuesday’s semi-final round.

Lucas was among the front-runners in the early stages of yesterday’s championship race. And when she turned into the home straight, the 2008 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championship gold <font color="rgb(0, 0, 0)">medalist</font> was locked in a close battle for bronze with American Tiffany Williams.

But Lucas was stronger, driving to the line to secure third spot, behind Jamaican Olympic champion Melaine Walker, the gold medallist in 52.42 seconds, and American Lashinda Demus (52.96).

“I felt very relaxed from the beginning. My main goal was to stay focused and run my race-plan. I knew exactly what I had to do, and it came down to the last 100 metres - whoever wanted it the most.”  In the battle for bronze, Lucas wanted it more than Williams, the American fading into fifth spot in 53.83 seconds. Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer clocked 53.56 to finish fourth.

Still recovering from her tremendous effort, Lucas said the significance of becoming Trinidad and Tobago’s first ever female World Championship medalist had not yet sunk in.

“Maybe in a while, but I’m very, very, very, very pleased. Trinidad and Tobago had been supporting us athletes for a very long time, and it's good to actually show something for that support. It's not necessarily about being the first female medalist, but it’s always to go out there and represent the country very well, whether it’s to be a medalist or finalist or doing a personal best.”