Who says lighting doesn't stike twice
Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt set a new world record as he cruised to a stunning victory in the 100m at the World Championships in Berlin. The 22-year-old Jamaican stormed home in a time of 9.58 seconds to shave 0.11 off the record he set last year when winning gold at the Beijing Olympics. American Tyson Gay was second in a time of 9.71, with Jamaica's Asafa Powell claiming bronze in 9.84. Britain's Dwain Chambers came sixth in a season's best time of 10.00. 16th August 2009. Bolt, who set three world record when winning his Olympic golds in Beijing 2008, served up another superlative display as he bounced back from his false start in the semi-finals.

Jessica Ennis banished her Olympic misery by winning World Championship gold.
Jessica Ennis secured Britain's first ever heptathlon gold at the World Championships after completing a dominant victory in Berlin, 16th August 2009. The 23-year-old sealed the landmark win by winning her heat in the final 800m event to finish on 6731 points, 238 clear of Germany's Jennifer Oeser. Kamila Chudzik was third with Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska in fourth. Ennis led the heptathlon from start to finish and never looked back after winning three of the first four events.

"It's been the longest two days of my life but the best," she told BBC Sport. "I can't believe it. I'm the world champion, I feel like crying. I've dreamt so many times about winning medals and becoming world champion, doing a lap of honour. It's the best feeling in the world. It's amazing."

The victory is made even sweeter by the fact that Ennis missed out on the Beijing Olympics last year because of a stress fracture to her right ankle, an injury that was considered as potentially career-threatening. Full Story more...

England Thrash Austrailia to regain Ashes
23rd August 2009, England regained the Ashes with a momentous 197-run win in the deciding Test to seal a 2-1 series triumph. After losing 5-0 in Australia in 2007, victory in The Oval sun was reminiscent of England's famous 2005 Ashes win. Some said the series did not match the tension of 2005 but the continual fluctuations made it highly absorbing. After their final wicket pair held on against the odds for a draw in the first Test, England took a 1-0 lead with their first Test win at Lord's for 75 years. They were denied by the weather and a fine Australian rearguard at Edgbaston before capitulating to emphatic defeat at Headingley, and unlike in 2005 the series came to the final match with either side able to win outright.

Skipper Andrew Strauss held the most precious prize in cricket and England were engulfed in another wave of euphoria. It is not five inches tall and is not shiny or gaudy or draped in ribbons. And it is a replica as the original is so fragile. But the fabled urn means England have climbed their greatest peak for the second time in four years.

England rightly milked every drop of adulation as they went on a lap of honour with champagne flowing, confetti flying and applause thundering. Andrew Flintoff signed off from Test cricket, his contribution will be sorely missed as Andrew Strauss' men gear up for life without him. The tourists were skittled for 348 in their improbable chase of 546 — with Andrew Strauss' men triumphing 2-1 in the series. And fittingly, it was the retiring Andrew Flintoff who produced the champagne moment, running out Ricky Ponting to start the collapse.