Belarus’s Marina Arzamasova catches her national flag to celebrate with after winning the women’s 800 metres.
Reuters/Beijing
Marina Arzamasova of Belarus outsprinted defending champion Eunice Sum down the home straight to win gold in the women’s 800 metres at the World Championships yesterday.
The European champion kicked for home off the back straight and found enough gas to hold off her Kenyan rival when Sum attacked after the final bend, claiming her first major title in one minute 58.03 seconds.
“I dreamed about the gold medal at world championships all my life and now I have this medal,” the 27-year-old told reporters.
“It was a good race, not so fast, and I was ready from the beginning to the finish. I knew all girls can finish strong, so I decided to start it on the last 200m.
“I think from tomorrow on I will start preparing for the Olympic Games in Rio.”
Canada’s Melissa Bishop stayed with the leading pair on the last 100 metres and got just in front of Sum at the line to claim silver in 1.58.12.
“This is really a good world championships for myself and my team,” she said.
“The race was slow on the first 400m. I stayed relaxed and composed because anything can happen on the last round.
“It is what it is and I am very pleased with the result. I set a new Canadian record last night and came back tonight with a silver medal.”
Sum, who has dominated the event since winning the world title in Moscow two years ago, took bronze in 1.58.18, well short of the world leading time of 1.56.99 she ran in Paris in July.
The 27-year-old, cousin of 2007 men’s 800m world champion Alfred Yego, said she had not recovered properly from her semi-final run.
“I did not feel very well, I do not know exactly what was going on. I was just not responding well,” she said.
“It was a tactical race but the last 200 metres were very tough and the ladies were also pretty fast, I just tried to catch up.
“What I learned from these championships is that it does not matter if you are coming with the fastest time, you come as any other ordinary athlete and have to go through all those rounds. It was a good lesson.”
Meanwhile, Piotr Malachowski of Poland claimed the discus gold medal with a throw of 67.40 metres.
The 32-year-old Pole dominated the event to finally win the world title after landing silver medals in 2009 and 2013 and being Olympic runner-up in the same Bird’s Nest Stadium seven years ago.
Malachowski thanked his compatriot and women’s hammer world champion Anita Wlodarczyk for her contribution to his victory.
“Anita came to my home and told me just one piece of advice,” Malachowski told reporters. “She said: ‘Throw far’.”
The silver went to Philip Milanov, who broke the Belgian national record with 66.90 metres, and Malachowski’s Polish team mate Robert Urbanek took bronze with 65.18.
Malachowski said he had felt nervous in Friday’s qualifying competition, but not in the final.
“I did not feel the pressure at all and the nervousness was gone,” he said.
“All the guys were very strong and anybody could surprise by getting the longer throw. In fact, my technique was not that good today but I was maybe lucky and it flew far enough.
Milanov, at 24, was the surprise package in the final.
“This silver medal tastes good for the beginning of my career,” he said. “I didn’t expect a national record and this result.”
Milanov is coached by his father.
“It was a special moment here in this stadium when I saw my dad. He is extremely happy and I gave him a big hug.”
