COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2002: Athletics: Six top picks for England.

Byline: JOHN CROSS

ENGLAND picked up six Commonwealth Games gold medals on the last night of athletics in Manchester.

They came from triple jumper Ashia Hansen, Kelly Holmes and Mike East in a 1500m double, the 4x100 and 4x400 men's relay teams and Steve Backley in the javelin.

The most dramatic was delivered by Hansen, who came from behind to break the Games record and pip Cameroon's Francoise Mbango with an amazing final leap.

Hansen revealed that Mbango's last jump had spurred her on.

She said: "Because she started waving to the crowd like that, I wanted it even more."Holmes regained the 1500m title she won in 1994 after bursting clear with 300m to go. She said: "I can't believe it. After so many ups and downs I just wanted that so badly."

East, the 24-year-old from Newham and Essex Beagles, raced away from the field in a scorching final 50m to add another gold.

Darren Campbell had anchored the sprinters to victory by a hair's breadth.

Jason Gardener, Marlon Devonish, Allyn Condon and Campbell were given gold after clocking the same time as Jamaica.

And 33-year-old Backley completed a hat-trick of Commonwealth titles. In the pool, Zoe Baker added a gold medal to the 50m breaststroke world record she set in the semi-finals.

CAPTION(S):

WINNER: Holmes