Pamela Jelimo cruises into the 800m final (© Getty Images)
In a series of three brutally competitive semifinals, the key protagonists survived to move on to Monday evening’s final.
Winning the second heat was world leader Pamela Jelimo, who arrived in the Chinese capital as a strong favourite for gold in just her fourth month of running the event. Striding confidently, she appeared no worse for the wear after cruising to a sub-1:58 run.
Heat three went to Jelimo’s Kenyan compatriot, Janeth Jepkosgei, who electrified the event last year en route to her World title in Osaka. Holding back a strong closing challenge, she too seemed intent on sending just one more message to her younger protege.
And attracting most of the attention in the opening heat was 2000 Olympic champion Maria Mutola, whose second place finish ensured the 35-year-old her fifth consecutive Olympic final appearance in the final year of her legendary career.
Despite their international success, Kenyan women have never won Olympic track gold. Women from the east African powerhouse have never even reached an 800m final. Now, they have managed to build a strong case to take both gold and silver.
In yesterday’s opening round, Jelimo sat back in a race for the first time all summer. In semi 2, the 18-year-old looked much more comfortable in her element: running aggressively from the front. Svetlana Usovich of Belarus briefly gave chase but soon after taking the bell in 57.93, Jelimo upped the tempo to charge foward alone where she is most at home. After stopping the clock in 1:57.31, the World junior record holder was barely winded.
The crowded chase pack behind her predictably caused some problems, most significantly to Usovich who was knocked out of contention when Briton Jenny Meadows stepped on the back of her shoe. Illustrating her experience, Hasna Benhassi stayed near the back of the pack, choosing not to forge ahead until the middle of the final turn. Swinging wide, the Moroccan closed powerfully to reach the line in 1:58.03, second to Jelimo. Russian Ekaterina Kostetskaya was third in 1:58.33, eventually missing the final by just 0.05 seconds. The race also claimed the comeback hopes of 2005 World champion Zulia Calatayud of Cuba, who was a distant fourth in 1:58.78.
Like her compatriot, Jepkoskei took the lead from the outset, and was soon pursued by a two-pronged Caribbean attack comprised of Grenada’s Neisha Bernard-Thomas and Jamaican Kenia Sinclair with Russian Tatyana Andrianova fourth. Jepkosgei reached the bell in 56.10, the fastest opening lap of semis. With just over 200 metres to go, Andrianova began her attack and moved past Bernard-Thomas, with Ukrainian Yuliya Krevsun tagging along, knocking the Grenadian out of contention.
Despite a slight slip midway through the final bend, Krevsun continued to increase her tempo and first moved by Andrianova, and then continued her pursuit of Jepkosgei. The Kenyan took the win in 1:57.28, followed by Krevsun just 0.04 seconds behind for the automatic qualifying spots. Andrianova (1:58.16) and Sinclair (1:58.28) will also advance as the next two fastest. For the Russian, it will be her second straight Olympic final – she was fifth in Athens four years ago – and for Sinclair, the 2006 Commonwealth and World indoor silver medallist, her first in her Olympic debut.
In heat one, it was Slovenia’s Brigita Langerholc who took the lead from the gun, with Russian Svetlana Klyuka and Briton Marilyn Okoro in tow, with Mutola sitting comfortably in fourth. As the trio entered the homestraight for the first time, Ukrainian Tetiana Petlyuk, running on the outside, gradually moved up to join the leaders at the bell.
Hoping to steal the race, Klyuka made her bid for the lead with 300 metres to go, with Petlyuk in hot pursuit. But in a rough and tumble exchange, Klyuka stumbled when making contact with Mutola who began to make her move as well. Mutola kept her balance and continued on nearly without missing a beat, but couldn’t catch Klyuka who stopped the clock in 1:58.31, 0.3 seconds ahead of the Mozambican. Slovak Lucia Klocova passed the fading Petlyuk to finish third (1:58.80), but not fast enough to reach the final.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
