Kelly finally brings home the gold

BRITAIN’S Kelly Holmes ended years of frustration at major championships last night when she won the women’s 800 metres Olympic title.

Her victory gave a welcome boost to the British team who had been stunned by Paula Radcliffe’s marathon exit.

The 34-year-old timed 1minute 56.38 seconds to take the gold, while Hasna Benhassi of Morocco was second after a photo finish with Slovenia’s Jolanda Ceplak, despite being given the same time of 1:56.43.

Reigning champion, and long-time queen of the event, Maria Mutola of Mozambique was run out of the medals and Holmes’s training partner had to settle for fourth.

“I can’t believe it, I am totally shocked,” said Holmes, who won bronze in the 800m in the 2000 Games. “I’ve been through so many ups and downs in my career. I’ve always thought the Olympics were the biggest thing and I used to think about it while I ran round the village aged 12 and now here I am.

“The trick was to conserve energy and then battle down the home straight. I was just hanging on for dear life at the end,” said Holmes who confirmed she would go for a golden double in the 1500 metres. Mutola had taken the lead off five-time Olympian Jearl Miles-Clark down the stretch but lacked her normal kick. Little by little, Holmes ground her down before edging clear and crossing the line while Benhassi and Ceplak passed the 31-year-old Mozambique star on the line. Holmes, wracked by injury down the years, looked at the screen in disbelief before going on her lap of honour while Mutola slipped off straight to the changing rooms. “It was a hard race for me because I got injured in July,” said Mutola. “Kelly and I train together, so she knows my weaknesses but she really deserves her medal.”

Holmes has been one of the most talented middle distance runners of her generation but has constantly been struck down at crucial times. All she had to show for her previous labours outside of the Games were a bronze and a silver medal in the 800m from the ‘95 and 2003 world championships respectively and a silver in the 1500m also at the 1995 world outdoor championships.

On an incredible night of athletics, Jeremy Wariner succeeded American legend Michael Johnson as Olympic 400 metres champion, as the United States became the first country since Kenya in the 1992 steeplechase to sweep all three medals in an athletics event.

The 20-year-old rookie took control down the stretch to win in 44.00 seconds ahead of Otis Harris, 44.16sec, while Derrick Brew took third in 44.42.

Wariner, who is under the tutelage of Johnson’s former coach Clyde Hart, was out of the blocks slower than Harris but he shadowed him all the way down the back stretch, running in the same clipped, economical style as the former one-lap legend.

Harris still held the pole position going round the final bend but Wariner pounced and went away.

Meanwhile Hungary’s Robert Fazekas won the discus with an Olympic-record toss of 232 feet, 8 inches (70.93 meters), beating the past two gold medalists.

Lithuania’s Virgilijus Alekna, the defending champion, settled for the silver after never improving on his opening toss of 229-3 (69.89). Hungary also won the bronze: Zoltan Kovago went 219-11 (67.04).

Francoise Mbango Etone of Cameroon won the Olympic triple jump yesterday with a leap of 50 feet, 2½ inches (15.30 metres), an African record and 10 inches (0.25 metres) longer than her previous best.

Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece won the silver with a best effort of 50½ (15.25).

The bronze went to favourite Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia.