Macey to defy pain in bid for gold

The world silver medallist, who was unlucky to finish fourth at last year's Olympics in Sydney,received more treatment overnight on his injury.

He added: "Someone will have to drag me off the track to stop me going for the gold medal.

"I have never led the decathlon after the first day in a major competition and no matter how big the injury might be, I can't walk away - I've put too much effort in to stop now.î

British team coach Charles van Commenee said: "Had you asked me 15 minutes before the 400m started, I would have said he would not have competed.

"It's a miracle. No one can understand it - the coaches, the management. He probably does not believe it himself. I have told him to put mind over muscle but I am not sure how long that will last.î

Edwards is contemplating his future after adding a second world title to the Olympic gold he won last year. He refused to reveal his longterm plans but said he would be back in training in January.

He said: "I have got to the stage of m y career when I am in the long goodbye. There will not be many more days like this.

"I don't know what happens next. I will finish off this season, have a good rest. I won't start training until January then I will take it from there.î

Meanwhile, American Stacy Dragila today blamed blundering officials for costing her a new world record and a £65,000 bonus in the w omen's pole vault.

Although Dragila confirmed her dominance by retaining the world title she won in Seville two years ago, judges caused severe delays to the competition by setting the distance between the pole and the take-off box wrongly.

Several competitors had to retake earlier jumps and the thrilling contest, which climaxed with a tussle between the Olympic champion and Russian Svetlana Feofanova, took nearly four hours to complete.

It left IAAF organisers red-faced following the faulty wind gauge which robbed British sprint sensation Mark Lewis-Francis of a world junior record at the weekend.

Dragila, who won with a new championship record vault of 4.75m, said: "Unfortunately there were a lot of delays. Without those I really think I could have set a world record. It definitely was a mental game for me to be able to block my anger out.î

Although Dragila's winning vault w as equalled by Feofanova, the American w on on a countback, having had one less failure at an earlier height.

It was a night which rivalled last year's so-called M agic Monday at the Sydney Olympics.

Even if Edwards and Macey hadn't lifted British spirits with their heroics there was still much to savour as Edmonton 2001 finally burst into life.

Marion Jones found out she wasn't invincible after all, as she conceded her 100 metres title to Ukraine's Zhanna Pintusevich-Block.

There was a new champion to salute in the 400m with Avard Moncur, from the Bahamas, claiming the retired Michael Johnson's crown. He won in a time of 44.64 seconds - way outside Johnson's world record of 43.18secs set at the World Championships two years ago.

German army officer Ingo Schultz was second and Jamaica's Gregory Haughton third.

And despite Mark Richardson and Iwan Thomas being disappointed not to have made the final, Moncur's slow winning time will give them hope for the future.

Osleidys Menendez, of Cuba, set a championship record in the women's javelin with a throw of 69.53m.

Britain's Donna Fraser, fourth in Sydney, bowed out of the women's 400m at the semi-final stage.

In the 400m hurdles, Sinead Dudgeon also missed out, finishing last in her semi-final in 56.92secs.