Elena Mirela Lavric added the World Junior gold medal to her World Youth and European Junior titles from last year as the 17-year-old Romanian perfectly timed her sprint finish to win the women’s 800m final here in Bydgoszcz in a new Championship record 2:00.06.
Merve Aydin who had set a killer pace from the gun only to be overtaken by Lavric 50 metres from the line held on for her country’s third ever medal at these Championships and a Turkish national record 2:00.92.
Machteld Anna Mulder of the Netherlands out-dipped Great Britain’s Alison Leonard for bronze as both athletes set personal best times of 2:0205 and 2:02.15 respectively, the British World Youth silver medallist paying the hard price for attempting to follow Aydin’s devastating pace.
Winny Chebet of Kenya who had grabbed silver at the last edition of these Championships in Beijing 2006, finished in a season’s best 2:04.13 as she too faded in the last stages of the race aftera brave attempt to stay in the leading pack.
Right from the gun Aydin made it clear that if anyone wanted to beat her they were going to have to chase her down the line. The Turkish champion who could not advance past the opening round in last year’s World Youth Championships in Ostrava opened with a 27.05 first 200 metre which clearly took by surprise the rest of the field.
Lavric and Leonard were the only one who showed any intention to go with Aydin although they already trailed by 5 metres. They gradually closed the gap as Aydin led them in 57.28 at the bell. Chebet was also in the mix making several attempts to go past in lane 2 but Leonard and Lavric didn’t give her way.
Aydin was still in the lead at 600m passed in 1:28.59 although Lavric and Leonard were on her heels. It looked as though the Turkish had enough left to kick again half way through the last bend but as she entered the final straight it was Lavric who was strongest.
Lavric powered through as Aydin held on. Leonard’s fatigue was obvious, the British champion unable to respond to Mulder’s late surge. The Dutch athlete had never been in contention and yet her tactics paid off as she claimed her country’s second medal of the week.
Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF
