After scripting some captivating fairy-tales in the earlier rounds, Susan Smith was finally overtaken by reality in the final of the World 400 metres hurdles Championship in Athens last evening.

Statistics suggested that she would finish seventh of the eight starters and that was what precisely happened in a race won with a spectacular late surge by the Moroccan Nezha Bidouane.

Bidouane delivered an astounding late run off the last hurdle to win to the line from Deon Hemmings and Kim Batten in a time of 52.97 seconds.

Smith, some way removed from the real action out in lane seven, finished in 55.25, but still had little difficulty finding a silver lining in her defeat.

"As a result of what happened here, I'm now ranked ninth in the world, with only one European ahead of me, and I have to be delighted with that," she said. "Technically I think I was the best hurdler out there. Now all I have to do is work on my strength. I went for it from the start, gave it my best shot, but I just didn't have it at the end."

Smith, in fact, was quickest off the blocks, first in the air at the opening hurdle, and was still disputing the lead at the third. However, that was the summit of her achievement on the night, for as more and more pressure began to build in the inner lanes, she dropped to fourth place rounding the last bend.

At that point, her stride began to shorten, her head was rolling and suddenly the compact style which had impressed so many neutral observers here earlier in the week began to fall apart.

Incredibly, Biduane was still behind Smith at that point, but then, with all eyes focussed on the duel developing between Hemmings and Batten, the tall Moroccan began to run them down.

Rising to the last barrier, she was still only fourth but then, in a vast out-pouring of strength and courage, she reined in athletes previously regarded as unbeatable in those circumstances. Hemmings was the last to capitulate, conceding only in the last five metres as the Moroccan made one last surge. For Smith there is now the prospect of her marriage next Thursday and an appearance in the National Inter-club league at Tullamore just three days later. "I've made a commitment to run with Waterford, my club, in the League final. As a result of what happened I now hope to receive more invitations to grand prix meetings," she said.

Mark Carroll's hopes of a place in tomorrow's final of the 5,000 metres were lost midway through the first semi-final when, in the space of little more than 250 metres, he went from fifth to 15th place after missing the break made by the Ethiopian, Worku Bikila.

A 61.8 seconds lap in temperatures of 85 degrees heat and 47 degrees humidity proved too much for the Cork man and, from that point, he was effectively out of contention. He was in good company as the quickening pace began to claim more and more casualties over the last 1,500 metres. Eventually, the redoubtable German, Dieter Baumann, was the only European left in contention, dividing Ismail Sghyr (Morocco) and world record holder Daniel Koeman (Kenya) at the finish. Carroll finished 14th, in a time of 13:57.88.

It was a chastening return to championship running for the Irishman after a difficult injury had taken almost two years out of his career. "That almost certainly was a factor, but I was disappointed by my performance," he said .

The second semi-final was some four seconds slower, but still built to an absorbing finish in which American Bob Kennedy was at his competitive best in holding off Khalid Boulame (Morocco) and Tom Nyariki (Kenya).