Straight walking leads Jackson to top of the podium

The 25-year-old has been a familiar face at major championships over the past four years but is all too often forgotten about with Russia, Spain and China ever-present on the streets worldwide.

But with none of those in the Commonwealth Jackson had only Australia to overcome, a challenge in itself with the women Down Under winning every race walk event since its introduction in 1980.

She did so with ease, though, leading from start to finish in Delhi and taking gold in a Games record of 1hr 34mins 22secs ahead of Australia's Claire Tallent and Kenya's Grace Wanjiru Njue.

Jackson, from Middlesbrough, had signalled her intent at the European Championships this summer finishing 10th and after seeing her meticulous preparations pay off is promising more to come.

"It gives me a taste to win more medals now. I'm just so ecstatic, I'm amazed and once it was all over I just couldn't wait to stand on that podium," said Jackson. "I've never been favourite for a medal before, especially a gold medal. So there was quite a lot of pressure. But I think I dealt with it okay.

"I prepared well in the heat chamber at Leeds Carnegie. I've been in there for the last three weeks and it really has been so beneficial.

"We've got the World Championships next year and I want to break into top 10 and then at the London 2012, I want to be in the top eight by then. Then, you never know, if a medal comes my way, I'll have it."

Elsewhere on the track of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Barnsley's Laura Whittingham finished agonisingly short of climbing the javelin podium.

The 24-year-old saved her best until last throwing 58.61m with her sixth and final throw but with South Africa's Justine Robbeson recording 60.03 with her second attempt she had to settle for fourth.