Historic double for Holmes

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Athens - Kelly Holmes of Great Britain captured her second Olympic title of the Games here on Saturday as she won the 1500 metres.

The 34-year-old ran a new national record of 3 minutes 57.90 seconds to add the gold to the one she won in the 800m and repeat the feat of Russia's Svetlana Masterkova who also clinched the double in 1996 in Atlanta.

Tatyana Tomashova of Russia took silver in 3:58.12 while Maria Cioncan of Romania won bronze in 3:58.39.

Holmes held back until the bell when she moved up the field but was temporarily put out of her stride as she was bumped by Poland's Anna Jakubczak.

However, she gathered herself and started picking off her rivals one by one down the back stretch before moving up onto Tomashova's shoulder on the final bend.

She finally pounced halfway down the straight and the Russian had no answer as the Briton crossed the line.

Holmes sank to the track and burst into tears as she took in the enormity of her achievement.