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News Archive

Former 400 m runner takes European gold at 800 m

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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.

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