MONTE CARLO, Monaco (CMC) — Track and field’s world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has hailed Bahamian Pauline Davis-Thompson’s elevation to Sydney Olympics gold.

Congratulating Davis-Thompson on its web site, the IAAF hailed the retired Caribbean star’s upgrade to first place as bringing the total of individual Olympic champions who are members of the IAAF Council, to five.

“Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas, who was elected to IAAF Council in 2007, produced a 22.27 seconds run on 28 September 2000 a performance which now makes her the Sydney Olympic champion for the women’s 200 metres,” the IAAF said.

The other Olympic champions in the current IAAF Council are senior vice-president Sergey Bubka, of the Ukraine, Britain’s Sebastian Coe, the vice president, and fellow individual members Alberto Juantorena, of Cuba, and Morocco’s Nawal El Moutawakel.

Nine years after the Sydney Olympics, Davis-Thompson is the new holder of the women’s 200-metre gold medal after Olympic officials last week redistributed some of the five Sydney medals taken away from the American Marion Jones for doping.

Davis-Thompson had clocked 22.27 seconds chasing Jones (21.84) in the half-lap sprint in Sydney.

Sri Lanka’s Susanthika Jayasinghe (22.28) moves up from bronze to silver and Jamaica’s Beverly McDonald (22.35) from fourth to the bronze medal third spot with the disqualification of Jones.