Ghana wins first ever medal

....Aziz Zakai Fails in 100m
7 August 2005 ? Helsinki, Finland: Margaret Simpson won Ghana's first ever medal at the world athletics championship, when she won a bronze medal in the hepthatelon.

The 23-year-old, bronze medallist in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, recorded a new National Record and personal best of 56.36m in the javelin.

"I am really happy to win a medal, because it was such a tight competition. I think I did well today."

"My great result in javelin (56,36 m) helped me to beat SKUJYTE. It is also a new National Record for Ghana. I also had two personal bests in the shot put (13.33m) and in the 800 metres (2:77.02) today." Simpson said

Despite placing seventh in the 800m event, Simpson's great throw in the javlin and set a personal best in the 800m event, helped her finish third overall, amassing a total point build up of 6,375

The women?s Heptathlon is a seven series event.

Olympic champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden retained her world title, seeing off French arch-rival Eunice Barber in a thrilling sprint finish in the final event, the 800m.

The 22-year-old ended with a total of 6887 points, 63 ahead of Barber (6824) in the multi-discipline event.

Meanwhile, Aziz Zakari was last in the 100m, which was won by American Gatlin

PICTURE: Carolina Kluft (C) of Sweden, Eunice Barber of France (L) and Margaret Simpson of Ghana display their medals while on the winners' podium after the women's heptathlon at the world athletics championships in Helsinki, Finland August 7, 2005. Kluft took the gold medal, Barber took the silver and Simpson the bronze.