Cathing Up With Some Of The Leading Foreigners in The 2012 Olympic Women's 1,500 Semifinals
By LetsRun.com
August 8, 2012
London, England
Editors Note: LetsRun.com has recapped the semifinals of the women's 1,500 in a different article here: LRC Jenny Simpson & Hannah England Go Home As Morgan Uceny And Shannon Rowbury Advance To Final
The original recap article included quotes from the top Americans but not the leading foreigners. Here we add in the post-race reaction of some of the leading ladies not from the US. We also are going to add some of these quotes back into the recap.
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Letsrun.com (LRC) did not catch up with Russian champ Ekaterina Kostetskaya who went to high school and college in the US. She did tell the press, "I was ahead almost for the whole race. I wanted to get out quick because I did not want to get stuck in the middle or at the back, with all the pushing, and I was surprised no one followed. It was only in the home lap that I had to push a little harder to make sure I got in the final. I feel really well and I am relieved that I made it. Now I
want to rest, analyse my race, see who else has gone through, work out my tactic and a race plan for the final. I want a medal for my country."
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Abeba Aregawi looks like the favorite or co-favorite for the final. She told the press she's ready, "I am ready for the final. Of course my aim is to win a gold medal but only God knows whether I have a chance of winning gold or not. The field is full of talent and any one of us can win a gold medal."
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Maryam Jamal is not the favorite for the final but she is a two time World Champion (2007 and 2009) and is confident for the final. She said she was saving something for the final, "I didn't push hard as I have to save energy for the final. I was just trying to qualify to the final and I was happy in doing so."
As for the final, she wants the one thing missing, Olympic gold: "I am confident and fit. Hopefully this will be the time for me to win gold. But it is difficult to make predictions in sport."
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The Brits got two runners in the final, Lisa Dobriskey and Laura Weightman. Last year's silver medallist Hannah England who went to Florida State was coming back from injury and it was too much to make the final.
Britain's 1500m silver medalist from 2009, Lisa Dobriskey, did come back from injury blood clots this year to make the final.
It was a long road back for Dobriskey who was fourth at the 2008 Olympics. She told the press, "I was obviously really nervous about this. Every step of training was about standing on the Olympic start line, so I am really chuffed (pleased) to be here. The specialist looked me in the eye and said I should give up, that was the turning point that made me keep dreaming and believing. So I am really grateful to be here."
Weightman ran a pr to the make the final as she tied for the last lucky loser spot and the IAAF decided to put an extra person the final. She is coached by British legend Steve Cram (1984 Olympic 1500m silver) and she said,"I definitely knew I had a PB in me, I've been training really well."
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