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Two years ago Olga
Kotlyarova, then a 400 m runner, tried to compete at double the distance. Just
in jest she ran a world-class time of 1:57.96 minutes at her first attempt. Now
the 30 year-old Russian is the European 800 metre Champion. She won the final
in Gothenburg in 1:57.38. It was her first serious 800 m season. The silver
medal was won by her countrywoman Swetlana Klyuka (1:57.48), and the third
place was taken by Britain’s Rebecca Lyne clocking 1:58.45.
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„This is the biggest achievement of my career,“ said Olga Kotlyarowa
after her victory. It had been her two countrywomen Swetlana Klyuka and Swetlana
Cherkasowa, who were leading the race and passed the 400 metres in fast 57.37
seconds. Close behind them Rebecca Lyne was running, followed by the latter
winner. While Cherkasowa fell back to the last place, Klyuka looked like the
certain winner. But on the last few metres Kotlyarowa passed her and won gold. “Because
of my 400 metre background I have enough speed at the end of the race,“ said
the winner, who was also talking about the world record: “Why not, I am fast
enough. But I have to train a lot and need to learn more in the 800 m”. The 23
year-old world record of Jarmila Kratochvilova (Czech Republic/1:53,28 minutes)
seems far away – and may be unreachable.
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Behind
both Russians the fight for bronze was not less exciting. Rebecca Lyne fell back
at first and it looked like as if Tetyana Petlyuk (Ucraine) would win this
medal. But the Lyne came back strongly
on the home straight and snatched the bronze. „Bronze medal – that sounds
really good. If somebody had told me earlier in the season that I would win a
medal here, I would have told him that he is crazy. Steve Cram gave me a lot of
advises, that was fantastic,“ said Rebecca Lyne. The former British world-class
runner had called the 24 year-old on the afternoon prior to the final.