BUDAPEST, Hungary — After flirting with a number of events through high school and professing his “love” for the 200m, 21-year-old Antonio Watson became the second Jamaican man to win the World Championships 400m gold medal after producing a spectacular last 60 metres at National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday night, winning with 44.22 seconds.

He joined Bertland Cameron, the first Jamaican to win the event 40 years ago at the first-ever staging of the event in Helsinki, Finland.

“I am very, very excited. I’m feeling really excited to come out here and win at my first World Championships,” said Watson.”

Watson’s gold-medal performance, like Danielle Williams’ in the 100m hurdles 12 minutes earlier in the evening, was unexpected — even after he ran a massive personal best 44.13 seconds in the semi-finals 24 hours earlier. With about 40 metres to go it appeared he would have to settle for maybe a bronze.

He, however, dug deep into his reserves and chased and caught Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith who finished second with 44.31 seconds, with veteran American Quincy Hall third with a personal best 44.37 seconds.

National champion Sean Bailey was fifth in 44.96 seconds, this being his first World Championships final as well.

Watson said his run over the last 50 metres was as a result of what he learned from Glen Mills, head coach at Racers Track Club.

“I just believed, as coach always said, ‘Just drive straight to the line, no matter what.’ And he told me early in the championship, ‘Even if someone is right there just keep pressing, keep pressing,’ and I just kept my head up and drive straight to the line,” he sais.

The victory, he said, was testimony to self-belief.

“It just shows how good it is to believe in yourself, and believe in your coach, and to have positive people around you to keep you motivated and you will see the results.”

Watson is the first Racers athlete to win a global championships medal outside of the 100m and 200m.

Mills, he claims, picked him out early in the season for the 400m. “This year he turned to me and said: ‘You look like the perfect one for the job.’ “

Watson, who won the last World Under-18 400m when it was held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2017, said he was pleased to be in the same category as Cameron, the latter labelling him “Mr Smooth operator” after the first round.

“It’s just feeling great to be in the presence of such a legendary person, and to join the legend,” noted Watson.

Bailey was pleased with his effort, claiming “it wasn’t terrible”.

“I tried to have as much fun as I could out there [even though] it did not go my way, but I’m still happy to compete against the best guys in the world.”

He was also happy for Watson: “If it’s not me then it might as well be be another Jamaican up there on the podium. I congratulated him and told him that there was more to come next year.”