Naser stuns Uibo-Miller to win 400m world title in third fastest ever time

Salwa Eid Naser stunned race favourite Shaunae Miller-Uibo to take women's 400 metres world title.

DOHA (AFP) - Bahrain s Salwa Eid Naser stunned race favourite Shaunae Miller-Uibo to take the women s 400 metres world title on Thursday in the third fastest time ever run of 48.14 seconds.

The 21-year-old Nigeria-born sprinter -- silver medallist in the 2017 final -- was clear coming into the straight and though Miller-Uibo closed she had too much of a gap.

Only East Germany s world record holder Marita Koch and Jarmila Kratochvilova of the former Czechoslovakia have run faster and both were over 30 years ago.

"I m the first one to win a global medal for Bahrain -- it is really rewarding and I m so happy," she said.

"I still can t believe the time. The time is so crazy, crossing the line and seeing the time I went completely crazy.

"Yes I was training so hard but I never expected to run this fast."

Naser, the Asian Games champion, said Bahamas star Miller-Uibo had been the catalyst for her performance.

"I think she (Shaunae) is an amazing athlete," she said. "I don t think I would have done that alone of course.

"She d been there to push me and is very competitive. I love her energy and already said thank you to her because without her I don t think I would have gone so fast.

"So I m happy this race happened."

Miller-Uibo took silver with a time of 48.37sec -- the sixth fastest of all time -- whilst Olympic bronze medallist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica was third (49.47).

Miller-Uibo -- suffering her first defeat since finishing eighth in the 100m at the 2017 Diamond League meet in London -- sat on the track draped in the Bahamas flag, her hair dyed in the national colours, shaking her head.

"I let her get away too much on the kerb. I can t compete with her with that sort of time," admitted Miller-Uibo. "She was too far away."

The slight of build Naser produced an astonishing burst of speed coming round the bend passing defending champion Phyllis Francis and leaving Miller-Uibo with a lot of ground to make up.

Naser did not falter even as Miller-Uibo ground down the gap between them but it was not even small enough for the 25-year-old to repeat her dive over the line that secured her the 2016 Olympic title.

Naser, who moved to Bahrain as a child, said the time had taken her breath away.

"Yes I m a world champion, but seeing the time I screamed so loud, I was so happy," she said.

"I have my friends here with me and my coach. Hearing them shout my name before the race started was so motivating.

"I m used to chasing. When you watch my race normally I chase. Today I wanted to be chased and it worked."

The rest of the field were onlookers but Jackson added another world bronze to the one she won in 2015.