In that semi-final Derval was going out to put doubts in Susanna Kallur's mind for the final, and she got a good start and that was the case.

The problem was that when she eased up she dropped her hips a little bit and once you do that your shoulders go back so her last four hurdles in that semi-final were very poor. She didn't mind being second but she never realised she was going to drop another place on the dip. That was her mistake because she wasn't in a position to put Kallur under real pressure from the off in the final. Kallur couldn't see her get out of the blocks quick and see she had ground to make up.

So after the semi-final I said, "Shit, that could cost her the gold medal". The placings were determined then because lane one is a desperate disadvantage and especially to Derval because she leads with her right leg which means she has to stay well right. Now if you put your leg outside the hurdle in any other lane it still has to go over the full height and there wouldn't be any problem there unless you are interfering with someone else. But in lane one if your leg goes out you can be disqualified so she had to keep well in and be more careful and these things play on your mind. She could't run with wild abandon.

The second disadvantage is that all the middle distance races are run in lane one so no matter how new a track is there is less quality on the inside. And this track is down for a couple of years so the bounce and quality of the surface isn't great. The other obvious problem is that you don't see your competitors because lane one and two tend to be weak people. Five is very far to see out because you are concentrating on keeping straight and on 12 hurdles and your peripheral vision doesn't work as well as in a flat race. But all these things only add to the pressure and therefore the quality of Derval's performance.

When she came in after the semi-final she said, "Jim, I'm going to win this" and I told her it was going to be even tougher because it would be from a very bad lane. She said she couldn't care less if she got the worst lane, she was still going to win it. So she was very determined and it was the first time in a while I've seen that because she's been through a lot with injuries and a long lay-off. She was behind everyone starting the season, she was nearly a month and a half off the start of racing and it's been catch up all the time. But she was bubbling over after that semi-final and said I'm going to do it.

Come the final she sustained her speed better on the flat and that was a huge relief because when you miss the training, that speed suffers but she said she would deliver over every hurdle unlike the previous race. But she has a lovely black left knee where she hit the last hurdle hard and normally someone as light as her would have fallen. She did lose her balance and kept on going but probably missed out on running 12.68 or 12.69 because of that but at least she held on for the silver and it was very brave, that run in from the last hurdle. But we already knew that because that's the type she is and she always shows ruthless determination.

And now Beijing is on the horizon. I was asked last week what Derval's aims were here in Gothenberg and I said to make the final and was laughed at because she's world indoor champion.

Aims should be higher I was told. But you can't win anything unless you are in a final and once you are there you have to run as fast as you can. Derval did that here and it will be no different in Beijing. If you run your best in a final that's all you can do and it has to be good enough for you and for your country.

This one was good enough for everyone.