14 August 2013

Chris O’Hare (coach: Steve Gulley) qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 1500m on the fifth day of the IAAF World Championships in Moscow.

O’Hare ran aggressively in his heat, taking the race on with 600m to go and being rewarded with a place in the semi-final as a fastest loser as he finished eighth in 3:38.86. The 22 year old believes that giving everything in his heat paid off with a place in Friday’s semi-final.

He said: “I knew coming here that I was going to have to push it hard. I was trying to win like it was a gold medal. I didn’t have as much as I’d have hoped in the last 100m but these guys are the best in the world so I’ll take something home from that and maybe know to save a little bit more for the last 100m.

“I hadn’t watched the other heats very intently because I knew that if I was going to make it I was going to run with a lot of heart and a lot of guts so that’s what I did.”

Olympic champion Greg Rutherford missed out on a place in the final of the long jump as he could only manage a best jump of 7.87m in qualifying, outside of the 12 athletes that qualified. Although he had suffered a hamstring injury only a matter of weeks ago, Rutherford was disappointed not to be taking part in the final.

He said: “It wasn’t the outcome I expected today, it’s gutting to come into something feeling great with all the expectations in the world and then not being good enough, which is what it comes down to.

“I’m not hurting now which is massive, I’ve done something incredible in coming back five weeks after not just a tear, I ruptured one of my hamstrings and split it in half. That was amazing to come back from, but that’s by the by. I felt great, running down the runway I felt fast, on plant I didn’t hurt and after the first round I genuinely thought I could do something – but it wasn’t good enough today.”

There was also disappointment for British record holder Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson) in the women’s hammer. The 22 year old had a best throw of 68.56m which left her tenth in her group and outside of the qualifying positions.

Afterwards, she said: “I wanted to come here and enjoy it and it just didn’t happen today. I felt good coming into it but sometimes it just doesn’t happen, there were a lot of girls who went out with big personal bests. I’ll just move onto the next one now.”

For full results from day five in Moscow please go to: http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/14th-iaaf-world-championships-4873/timetable/byday

In tomorrow morning’s session, Marilyn Okoro (Johnny Gray), Jessica Judd (Rob Denmark) and Laura Muir (Andy Young) line up in the heats of the women’s 800m before Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider) and Jodie Williams (Stanley Madiri) compete in the heats of the women’s 200m.

Watch tomorrow morning’s session live on BBC2 between 6.30-9.05am.

GB & NI finalists at the 2013 IAAF World Championships: