Maryam Yusuf Jamal last night gave Bahrain its first Olympics medal after she produced a superb performance to clinch the bronze in the final of the women's 1500m race at Olympics Statdium in London.

A two-time world champion at the distance, Maryam entered last night's race with the quickest recorded time among all 12 participating athletes and as such, was one of the favourites.

Jamal last night lived up to the massive expectations of her taking the third place in the women's race.

Maryam's bronze medal, which will be presented during a ceremony later tonight, will be recognised as the first for Bahrain in the history of the country's participation in the Olympics, after the gold given to Rashid Ramzi for the men's 1,500m in Beijing four years ago was later stripped.

It was clear that the 27-year-old had a concise plan of attack as she leapt to the front on the first lap and continued to dictate the pace thereafter.

She led for much of its duration but couldn't move clear of the chasing pack and with half a lap remaining, it was all to play for.

Coming round the final bend, it looked like Bahrain's long-awaited medal was in the bag but Jamal was then overtaken by Gamzi Bulut of Turkey and Ethiopia's Abeba Aregawi.

Asli Cakir Alptekin led a shock 1-2 for Turkey by winning the gold medal in 4:10:23, handing her country a first-ever gold medal in track and field.

European champion Alptekin, who served a two-year doping ban from 2004-6, kicked for home and held her nerve for gold ahead of fast-finishing teammate Gamze Bulut.

Bulut, who also took European silver behind Alptekin in Helsinki and has improved her time in the event by almost 15 seconds this season, took silver in 4:10.40.

Maryam claimed the bronze a further 0.34 of a second adrift.-TradeArabia News Service