Britain didn't win a gold medal at the sixth World Athletics Championships.

But the bi-annual jamboree in Athens still provided nine days of magnificent track and field competition.

It started in high drama and tragedy for Britain, with Kelly Holmes limping out injured on the first day of competition when she was hotly tipped to win at least one gold medal.

But there were pluses on the home front.

Jonathan Edwards took silver in the triple jump and Colin Jackson did likewise in the high hurdles - both went one better two years later.

Both the sprint and 400m relay teams took medals, and Denise Lewis was a superb second in the heptathlon – a feat which gained her recoginiton on the world stage.

Steve Backley beat the great Jan Zelezny in the javelin for once - but then found one better in unfancied South African Marius Corbett.

On the international front, Michael Johnson again proved his greatness in the 400m. British hope Iwan Thomas started like a scolded cat and eventually faded to a disappointing sixth place.

And Ato Boldon, so often questioned over his bottle or lack of it, finally landed a big one in the 200m.

But the man who went down in history was undoubtedly pole vaulter Sergei Bubka.

The Russian world record holder made it six world titles out of six when he sailed over 6.01m.