Within the two 400-meter finals of the 2022 Commonwealth Video games on the ultimate day of athletics, Stuart Weir discovered some fascinating notions on one of many hardest races within the monitor and area program.
Two 400m finals
There have been complaints on social media about scheduling finals in morning periods. Nonsense, I say! With a full stadium for morning periods (30,000), why ought to they not get a share of the nice motion? We noticed excellence, drama, shocks, and reward for some nice racing within the two Sunday morning 400m finals.
Bahamian Sada Williams, the Oregon medalist, was not the quickest in qualifying, however she did the enterprise, profitable the ultimate in 49.90. Then got here three English women. Victoria Ohuruogu took silver – didn’t her older sister/coach – know a bit about 400m working?
Vikki obtained sooner and sooner because the rounds progressed, 51.34, 51.00, and 50.72. In Oregon, she simply missed out on the ultimate, working her first sub-50. Within the Commonwealth ultimate, she lowered that PR even additional. Ohuruogu has had a wierd profession. In 2014, she ran 52.71 however didn’t enhance on it for 7 years. Now, aged 29, she is within the type of her life.
Jodie Williams, a finalist in Tokyo, withdrew from Oregon with harm and was, by her personal admission, simply brief of some races coming into the Commonwealths. She got here third in 51.26.
Sada Williams commented: “Coming off of the excessive of a medal in Oregon after which coming into one other championship, you need to do properly each time you carry out.” And she or he did!
Ohuruogu commented: “The ladies went out laborious as we speak, and I knew that I simply needed to kick on the house straight. I managed to choose off some individuals, so I’m completely happy my race plan labored out. But it surely was nearly hanging on, and I obtained a private finest [50.72], so I’m completely happy”.
Jodie Williams mentioned of her race: “I used to be in lane 9, so knew it was going to be tough. I needed to run my very own race. I’m racing rusty for certain. I simply thought, ‘get out, commit, and maintain on for pricey life,’ then battle to the tip. I couldn’t see as a result of I used to be thus far out, so I didn’t know the place I had come. I noticed my identify up in bronze and was delighted.
“Final 12 months was my first 12 months over the 400. I dipped beneath the 50 seconds and made the Olympic ultimate, so I feel that justified my step up. However this 12 months has been a little bit of a battle. I’ll run 200m on the Europeans, so I’m nonetheless dabbling in each, however I’m glad to get my first out of doors worldwide medal on the 400.”
Jodie is a superb athlete and a really rounded individual. Many can be happy to see her success.
