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Stuart Weir wrote this piece on the yearly battle for international 800m supremacy between Athing Mu of the US and Keely Hodgkinson of Nice Britain, this yr held on the World Athletics Champs in Eugene, Oregon on June 24, 2022.
Déjà vu over again!
Virtually a yr in the past, I sat within the Tokyo Olympic Stadium watching a ladies’s 800-meter race. Athing Mu received, and Keely Hodgkinson was second. In Oregon 2022, I noticed a ladies’s 800-meter race. Athing Mu received, and Keely Hodgkinson was second. However the similarities finish there. Solely 4 of the Tokyo area survived to contest the Oregon remaining – the primary two-plus Natoya Goule and Raevyn Rogers. In Tokyo, Mu ran 1:55.21, and in Oregon, 1:56.30.
Mu dominated each races, main early and holding the lead. In Tokyo, she was by no means threatened with Hodgkinson and Rogers making late runs to grab their medals. In Oregon, Hodgkinson tracked Mu extra rigorously and for a couple of seconds on the house straight seemed as if she would possibly overtake her. The hole between the primary two was 0.33 seconds. In Oregon simply 0.08.
In Tokyo, Natoya Goule ran1:58.26 and completed final! Sure, 1:58.26 and final! In Tokyo, Raevyn Rogers, as she had in Doha, made a late home-straight sprint to get within the medals. There was no late surge and no medal for Oregon Duck, whose picture is on the stadium tower.
2021 was Hodgkinson’s first senior season. The truth is, it was not even presupposed to be that. World Juniors was initially her yr’s objective. From a quick indoor 800 in January (1:59.03), aged simply 18, she ended 2021 as a European Indoor champion, Diamond League champion, and Olympic silver medalist. She had arrived. In 2021 Mu received the US Champs in 1:56.07, received the Olympics, and received Pre.
In 2022 Hodgkinson was chosen for the GB group to the World Indoors however pulled out the day earlier than she was as a consequence of run. She was not required to run within the GB trials, having a wild-card as a Diamond League winner. She ran the 400 as a substitute. She received the 800 in Diamond Leagues in Pre, Oslo, and Birmingham and got here second behind Mary Moraa in Stockholm. In 2022, Mu received the Golden Gala in Rome and ran three rounds of US Champs and one different 800. That the Worlds had been early meant that the 2 favorites entered the World Championship with fewer races behind them than would usually be the case.
The pair produced an epic battle and had been separated by solely 0.08 seconds. Mary Moraa, simply 22, confirmed that she is a pressure to be reckoned with, taking third. Raevyn Rogers, having medaled on the Olympics and former world championships will probably be disillusioned, as will Ajee Wilson, World Indoor champion this yr. For Natoya Goule, it was one other strong efficiency however nonetheless no international medal.
That is how the athletes noticed the race:
Winner – Athing MU, USA
“It was a quick competitors. I really like competing towards different quick ladies. I actually simply wished to be constant this yr and to proceed with the wins that I’ve been having. As we speak, it was slightly bit more durable for me, however I wished to make it possible for after I got here on the monitor, I simply do my finest. The subsequent objective is simply to proceed competing and, hopefully, to get sooner and sooner. I really feel like this yr, and a half has gone to date. I’ve gone via so many modifications, some many adjusting. This yr was a complete lot of changes. Not everybody may even see it. It was rather a lot. Coming right here and profitable means rather a lot to me as a result of I do know what I’ve been going via the entire whole yr. With the ability to stand my floor after some main accomplishments final yr”.
Second Keely Hodgkinson
“I’m glad however not overjoyed. I’m slightly disillusioned that I missed out on gold by 0.08, which is a tiny margin that I’ve labored so onerous to shut, however I’ll take the positives. I’ve closed the hole; I’m getting nearer. I’ve received lots of respect for these athletes, significantly Athing (Mu). She’s competing in entrance of a house crowd as Olympic champion, so there was lots of stress for a 20-year-old. However I’ll take the silver and assess it.
“I attempted to take the shortest route. I don’t remorse it as a result of I may have wasted lots of power by shifting out and going round her. I simply thought I’d attempt to sneak down the within. I knew it will come right down to the final 50m, so it was only a case of holding type and seeing what was left. We’ve labored so onerous over the winter to shut that hole with Athing. It has paid off; I can’t say it hasn’t”.
Third – Mary MORAA, KEN
“I’m so glad to carry out like this right now and, after all, to win a medal. This can be a very particular achievement for me and my village. The race was powerful, however I attempted to push myself to complete like this. I gained my limits, like 200m to go, and I noticed the ladies in entrance of me. However then I made a decision to shut the hole and transfer ahead. Like 100m to go, they tried to push onerous, however I additionally did it. I pushed myself till the end to take bronze, and I’m so glad about it. The final dash was very powerful – the final 70m, I noticed I can not get sufficient pace to get additional, simply specializing in the entrance runners.”
fifth – Natoya GOULE, JAM
“I believe that is the quickest remaining ever at World Championships. I wished a medal. I’m happy due to the season’s finest. I’ve rather a lot left to place on the market. The plan was to get out of my consolation zone, however the best way these ladies had been shifting, it was onerous to get there. I don’t know. Possibly as a result of I used to be in an outdoor lane and was making an attempt to go down. I used to be making an attempt to get into fourth, nevertheless it was inconceivable. I’m truly happy. The subsequent objective is Commonwealth Video games, and I wish to enhance from the bronze medal. The ladies right now are very gifted. I’m glad to be in my third World Championships remaining.”
sixth – Raevyn ROGERS, USA
“This was a kind of races whenever you simply take what it’s. It’s nonetheless a fantastic second for America. Nonetheless a fantastic second for the group – profitable the primary world champs for the USA. I believe it’s a nice time to have fun her. I felt actually snug concerning the race. It was a fantastic competitors. It is advisable to be taught from it even if you’re shedding. Now, it’s time to get again to work. At this second, I simply don’t bear in mind the race, however I had the sensation I used to be ready the place I wanted to be.”
Girls – 800 metres
Statistical Abstract from World Athletics
Athing Mu (USA) received the 800 meters within the 2022 world-leading time of 1:56.30, including the World Championship to her Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal within the occasion.
This was the first gold medal for america within the ladies’s 800 meters, though it was their seventh medal within the occasion, which leads the medal desk.
Keely Hodgkinson of Nice Britain was 2nd, profitable her nation’s 2nd silver medal within the occasion, after Kelly Holmes in 2003. It was additionally the 4th medal for Nice Britain within the ladies’s 800 and they’re first since Jenny Meadows’ bronze in 2009.
Mary Moraa got here residence in a private better of 1:56.71 to take bronze, giving Kenya 6 medals within the occasion, however their 1st since 2015.
All 3 medalists bettered the 2022 world chief (Mu at 1:57.01), shifting them to 1-2-3 on the 2022 world checklist.
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