Caines, defending the title he won two years ago in Lisbon, ran a personal best of 45.43sec but, coming off the last bend, he failed in his desperate attempt to edge ahead of Washington.

The race for the bronze medal was even more exciting. Three minutes after the race finished, the timekeeping system was unable to separate Jamie Baulch and Paul McKee.

The Welshman, winner of the race in 1999, ran a season’s-best of 45.99 with McKee for the second time in two days reducing the Irish and Northern Ireland record.

Another Irishman, David McCarthy, in fifth position, also ran the fastest time of his life, 46.61sec ahead of Australia’s AAA champion Daniel Batman who clocked 47.67sec.

But 10 minutes after the finish of the 400m there was massive disappointment for McKee as re-examination of the photo-finish saw the bronze medal awarded to Baulch with McKee relegated to fourth position.

Welsh champion Catherine Murphy narrowly missed a medal with fourth place in the women’s 400m.

Murphy, 27, who set a new national record of 51.74 seconds in her heat, ran a brave race but was no match for the heavyweight rivals who finished in front of her.

There was a blinding run from winner Natalya Nazarova. Reinstated to the competition after being disqualified in her heat, the Russian stormed to an easy victory in 50.83sec.

A magnificent first 200 metres in 23.37sec, saw the former world champion split the field and in only her fourth race of the indoor season claim the gold medal with a superb front running display.

The battle for the silver was won by Christine Amertil. Setting a Bahamian record of 51.11sec, she just managed to hold off a strong challenge from the 1999 champion Grit Breuer by 2/100sec.

Murphy, who did nothing wrong tactically but was beaten by the sheer pace of the opposition, achieved the highest-ever place by a Briton.

In 1999 Sally Gunnell later to become Olympic 400m hurdles champion, finished sixth.