GoldJaneth JEPKOSGEI, KEN
I decided to go in front and not to wait for the others. I had to do my best, and that's what I did. I think it's a challenge for me now, because now I know I'm competitive. It's the first gold medal for Kenya and the first world championship gold for me, and it's also my personal best, so I'm happy. I did not expect another personal best after the semifinal. World record is still far away, I'm not thinking about it. I saw afterwards that it was a world leading time. It's good, but I have to do something more, before the end of the season.
Silver - Hasna BENHASSI, MAR
Even after my arrival in Osaka, I wasn't fully sure to take part in the competition, because illnesses have hindered my preparation throughout the season. But the last training sessions and the qualifying rounds allowed me to gain confidence. Throughout the rounds I just did what was needed to qualify, not more. In the final, I'd have liked to go for gold but the pace was suicidal, so I opted for a cautious start and relied on my finish.
Bronze - Mayte MARTÍNEZ, ESP
During the winter I trained in the Pyrenees, at a height of 1.500 metres. My focus was always the last 100 metres. My sprint finish is very strong and that made me confident. It is incredible, I got that medal! The Kenyan's pace was ideal for me because I cannot go at 56 seconds for the first lap, so all I had to do was run the second lap in 60 seconds and believe in my sprint finish. It was the same pattern as already in the heats and the semi-final. During the whole race, I felt strong and fast.
