byLarry EderIn a thrilling 1,500 meters, the field stayed close through the first 400 meters, lead by Anna Alminva or Russia. Shannon Rowbury of the US was in fifth, with Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain, Nataliya Tobias of the Ukraine, Iryna Lishchynska of the Ukraine and Natial Rodgriguez in tow. Alminiva took the pack through the 800 meters in 2:13.70 and the race was still in doubt. Then, Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain, the Osaka champion took over and it looked like Jamal was going to take this one going away…there was just one little problem, no one gave the script to Nancy Jebet Langat…..
Jamal took the pack through 1200 meters in 3:16.41 and the race was on. LIshchynska and Tobias, along with Shannon Rowbury are following Jamal. Lisa Dobriesky of Great Britian, who has been running so well recently is also in contention. Nancy Jebet Langat, who was also in the pack makes a move on Jamal around the turn, and takes the lead coming off the final turn. LIshchnska and Tobias are in full flight, and guess what? Jamal starts to falter, first to third, then fourth and finally fifth!
Nancy Jebet Langat of Kenya takes the gold in her personal best in 4:00.23! Iryna Lishchyska of the Ukraine takes the silver in 4:01.83. Natilya Tobias of the Ukraine takes the bronze in 4:01.78, a personal best. Barely holding on to the medal, Tobias was quite lucky that Lisa Dobriskey of Great Britain, running the last sixty meters like a bat out of hell, nearly caught the bronze medalist, but had to be comforted with her
personal best of 4:02.10 and fourth in the Olympic final.
Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain took fifth in 4:02.71. Natalia Rodriguez of Spain took sixth in 4:03.19, a seasonal best. In seventh, Shannon Rowbury of the US, who was in the race until 200 meters to go, when she started to falter and just did not have another gear, finished her first Olympic final in seventh in 4:03.58 after a long and amazing season!
