Brigitte Foster-Hylton poses with her bronze medal for her perfomance in the women's 100-metre hurdles final at the 10th IAAF World Champoinships in Helsinki, Finland. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

She would have preferred gold or even silver, but Primrose Palmer, mother of Brigitte Foster-Hylton, expressed delight with her daughter's bronze medal in the women's sprint hurdles at the World Athletic Championships in Helsinki yesterday.

"I expected gold but she ran a good race. I was not disappointed. I am very happy that she performed so well and that she came through without injury," Palmer told the Observer via telephone a few hours after the race from her home in Prospect, south Manchester, close to the St Elizabeth border.

Foster, a past student of Prospect All-Age and the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) clocked 12.76 seconds for the bronze medal, the same time as fellow Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London who took the silver medal.

The gold medal went to American Michelle Perry in 12.66 seconds.

"I prayed for her (Foster)," Palmer said, "I prayed that she would do the right things, not hit any hurdles or anything like that and she came through. My prayers were answered".

Palmer said she spoke to her daughter shortly after the race.
"She (Foster) was not as chirpy as I know she would have been if she had won but she knew she ran a good race. I told her that I am happy for her, that I know the competition was tough and that she should be very proud of herself," Palmer said.

Foster, 30, who was guided at high school by the highly respected Vincentian coach, Michael Ollivierre is a veteran of coach Stephen Francis' MVP track club which also includes 100m world record holder Asafa Powell and Michael Frater, who surprised track and field pundits by taking the 100m silver medal at the current World Championships.

A silver medallist at the 2003 World Championships, Foster is also the 2003 Pan American champion.

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