Henrik Ingebrigtsen and Chris O’Hare Win Two 1500 Heats At Europeans To Advance To Final

By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2014 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

ZÜRICH (15-Aug) — Reigning European 1500m champion, Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway, led all qualifiers in the first round of the men’s 1500m here this morning at the 21st European Championships in Athletics at Stadion Letzigrund.  Competing in the first of two heats, the 23 year-old got out quickly, controlled the pace, and was able to relax a little before crossing the finish line in 3:39.32, just ahead of a fast-closing Charlie Grice of Great Britain.

“I felt strong during the race,” Ingebrigtsen told Race Results Weekly.  “I took some precautions during the race and I went off to the front to avoid some of the positioning and the elbows of the other guys.  I got the answers I wanted and I’m looking forward to the final on Sunday.”

Finishing third with a strong final 50-meter sprint was France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, who had finished first in the men’s steeplechase last night, but was disqualified for removing his uniform top about 100 meters from the finish line.  He spoke briefly to the French press, and L’Equipe reporter Nicolas Herbelot offered this translation:

“I was happy and sad at the same time,” he said of last night’s race.  “I wanted to make history.  Last night I didn’t sleep.  I knew I had to come back today.”  He continued: “I hope in the final I will show everyone I am the big champion.”

Also advancing on time was reigning Irish 1500m champion Ciaran O’Lionaird who is still rebuilding after Achilles surgery.  He was delighted –and relieved– to have made the final; he had to wait for the results of the second heat to know for sure.

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“It’s nerve-wracking,” said O’Lionaird after watching the second heat from the mixed zone under the stadium.  “It’s not the way I would have liked it.”  He added: “Ten months off surgery and I’m back in the European final.  I couldn’t be happier.”

Britain’s Chris O’Hare, the former NCAA star for the University of Tulsa, won the second heat with a powerful sprint over the last 200m.  O’Hare ignored the aggressive first 400 meters by Ilham Tanui Özbilen of Turkey (56.7), and waited for the final lap to make his statement.  He clocked 3:39.24 ahead of Germany’s Homiyu Tesfaye –a gold medal favorite along with Ingebrigtsen– and his German teammate Timo Benitz.

“Everybody knows Özbilen likes to push it,” O’Hare told reporters.  “Tesfaye likes to push it from a long way out.  I was confident it was going to be quick, so I sat in the back… and came in the end to pick up the last couple.”

Women’s Steeple

In the first round of the women’s steeplechase, athletes overcame cold (14 Ceslsius -57 Fahreinheit)) and wet conditions to advance to the final.  The first of two heats was the fastest, won by Sviatlana Kudzelich of Belarus in 9:46.89.  She led a small group of three, including Russia’s Natalya Vlasova and Germany’s Gesa Krause, who finished close behind her, also qualifying for the final.

“My goal was to qualify in the top-5 for the finals, directly,” Krause said in English.  “So I’m really happy it worked out, and I felt really good.”

Key athletes who also advanced included Bulgaria’s Silvia Danekova, who won the second heat in 9:51.67 ahead of Krause’s German teammate Antje Möldner-Schmidt (9:52.02); Sweden’s Charlotta Fougberg (9:52.04), the Swedish national record-holder, and Latvia’s Polina Jelizarova (9:52.58), who had pushed the pace through the entire race and had faded in the final sprint.

Also advancing was the sentimental favorite, Fabienne Schlumpf of Switzerland.  Spurred on by the partisan crowd,  she sprinted hard to claim the fifth position in the first heat, the last automatic qualifying spot.  She was overwhelmed by the support, she said.

“The feeling was great,” Schlumpf told Race Results Weekly.  “This feeling once in your life and I wanted to enjoy it.  It was great to run here.”