by Larry EderOur sport is about yin and yang. Good days follow bad days, bad days follow good days. It is the seasaw of real life. Such was the case for Marta Dominguez of Spain. In 2008, in Beijing, fighting for a medal with 250 meters to go, Marta went down hard in the steeple and did not finish. She spoke of giving up the steeplechase!
Barringer pulls a Henry Marsh, going from near last to fifth, sets AR of 9:12.50, photo by PhotoRun.net.
The pack upfront was Russians, Marta Dominguez, and MIlcah Cheywa. Galinak and Yuliya Zarudneva were pushing the pace, trying to drop the field, it was not working that well. Jenny Barringer was at the back of the pack, I started thinking about either end of a season or Henry Marsh revisited! Barringer had scared a few of us, including her coach, having to rush the final last fifty meters in the heats!
Well, Marta Dominguez stayed in the pack, with Guinara Galkina of Russia leading the first kilometer in 3:01.26, and Glady Jerotich Kipkemoi of Kenya leading at 2,000 meters in 6:06.45.
Rushing down the last straightaway and over the last barrier, Marta Dominguez of Spain runs the World leader in 9:07.32 to take the gold. Yuliya Zarudneva of Russia ran her personal best for the silver in 9:08.39 and Milcah Chemos Cheyna ran 9:08.57, her personal best for 9:08.57. Guinara Galkina of Russia was fourth in 9:11.09, her seasonal best, and rushing from eleventh to fifth, Jenny Barringer, who started running at 4:56 into the race, destroyed the US record with her 9:12.50, by ten seconds!
Afterwards, Marta Dominguez had this to say: ” I liked the pace of the race. But when Ghribi (sixth place, 9:12.52), changed the pace I got nervous. But I pushed myself to stay with her and Galkina. When I ran side by side with Galkina, I realized that she was not breathing good and so Iknew that I had a medal for sure. At the finish line, I was not aware that Isinbayeva lost her competition, I was just enjoying the moment of victory. A lot of people came here to support me after Beijing, there were a lot of tears there. This is my most important victory and I hope to win a gold medal again in 2010 at home. ”
Jenny Barringer, just a quick note, there is a medal with your name around it in 2011….
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