IT was a case of finding a silver lining for the brave 4x400m Welsh men last night as they seemingly won the lottery and then lost the ticket.

For just half the time it's takes to blink, Wales lost on a golden pot at the end of a relay rainbow by just ONE agonising hundredth of a second. Their time of three minutes 00.41 seconds was not good enough by the smallest of margins.

Unbelievable is an understatement - not to mention that England won it! The pain could be measured in the instant collapse of Matt Elias to the spongy track floor as he heard the result boom through the magnificent City of Manchester Stadium.

Tim Benjamin had given Wales a storming start before being pegged back to fifth as Iwan Thomas took up the Principality's cause. Like Risca's Jamie Baulch, it was amazing to think that the white-haired wonder found it difficult just to jog a few days earlier after injury forced him and Baulch out of the individual 400m.

But inspired by the electric atmosphere, Thomas crucially held the status quo as buoyed Baulch took the baton at lightening pace.

The Risca flyer went off like a mini train around the first bend with a sea of red, white, green and blue shirts swirling away from him.

But the tide turned as Baulch sucked in the opposition with a storming leg to put Elias in fourth on the last change-over.

Despite Baulch's best efforts it still seemed unlikely that Wales could manoeuvre into serious medal contention.

However, Elias, the man with the red flame running through his hair, produced Games fireworks as he stormed through 300m in convincing style and then turned up the gas on the final 100m.

First South Africa's Arnaud Malherbe was passed as if he was standing still, with Bahamian Timothy Munnings suffering the same pedestrian fate in the fantastic final 50m.

New 400m hurdles silver medallist Elias was then offered a king-sized slice of lady luck as clumsy Jamaican Michael Blackwood dropped his baton.

It was closer than a wet shave with a cut-throat razor on the line but England's Daniel Caines was adjudged to have cruelly clinched it. In truth, a new Welsh record was scant consolation. Sadly, Wales 100m counterparts suffered a miserable evening by comparison, finishing last. Newport trio Christian Malcolm, Doug Turner, Kevin Williams limped home in 39.73secs. But there was some joy for Newport, at least, with Marshfield resident Darren Campbell guiding England home to gold on the final lap.

Wales' Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson admitted she was physically sick before finishing fourth in the 800m wheelchair final.

The queen of Sydney two years ago made a creditable return to top-class competition by finishing fourth in one min 55.71secs as Chantal Pettitclerc of Canada bagged gold. Tanni said. "I was very nervous before the race and was sick twice."

PICTURED: Marshfield's Darren Campbell shows his delight for England.