05 August 2012

Women’s Marathon

First up this morning were Claire Hallissey, Freya Murray and Mara Yamauchi in the women’s marathon:

Early in the race – disaster struck for Mara Yamauchi (Shige Yamauchi) as she was forced to pull out after 9km nursing a foot injury.

Yamauchi, who had suffered a heel bruise, but felt able to compete was disappointed that she hadn”t managed to put up more of a showing in her home Games:

She said:

I did my best – it’s not the best situation to be in – dropping out of the Olympic marathon at a home Games but I gave it my very best and I didn’t want my Olympic journey to end like this but there we are.

I’m sorry for all the people who supported me and encouraged me and came today in the pouring rain to support me but I am still so pleased for their help.

So many people have really helped me –especially the UK athletics medical staff and all my friend and family. I am so happy to have been part of this historic Home Games in London. They’ve been incredibly professional and helpful and have worked so hard to help me – I’m sorry for them that their hard work didn’t pay off with a good performance from me, but I am still so grateful for them.

I’ve been doing lots of work cross training and a reasonable amount of running so I knew cardio-vascular wise I was fit and I have been able to run my foot. I did think about withdrawing beforehand but I decided it’s not that bad I can run I can do the race and I had much higher hopes but sadly it wasn’t to be

The two remaining Brits managed to complete the course finishing solidly in 44th and 57th places respectvely. The race was won by Ethiopian Tiki Gelana.

Freya Murray

10K: 34:57 (45)

20k: 1:10:16 (52)

Half: 1:14:12 (50

30k 1:46:16 (43)

40k: 2:23:53 (42)

Finish: 2:32:14 (44)

Murray said:

It was like being in a night club stood next to a speaker!, there was one quiet bit down towards the embankment which was like silence, and when you get to the finish line  there is a quiet bit then louder as you get through the gate.

In a marathon there are probably  few times in the race when you are feeling great. I felt ready to go though, it is not the nicest way to be selected I would never wish illness or injury on anyone. Paula is an inspiration to everybody and I’ve always looked up to her so it was sad to be trying to fill her shoes if you like, I was never going to do that today, but just to be here was fantastic.

I didn’t realise Mara had dropped out until I got to one of the drinks stations and realised there were only 2 bottles there – I really feel for her , I know she had issues coming into it and I’m sharing a room with her and really feel for her and it must be horrible to come into an Olympics with that in the back of your mind.

She’s been brilliant thought – it can be really hard to be positive coming in with an injury but she didn’t dampen the mood in our room and I really appreciate that, and hopefully she will recover quickly and come back again.

This is my first major championships – I did the Commonwealth Games in Delhi but this was totally a different experience and a big learning experience in my second marathon, you know you are always learning along the way. There were things going into London in April like what do I do with water stations/what shall I eat for breakfast, so obviously today I was nervous but also a little more relaxed.

 Claire Hallissey

10K: 35:22 (65)

20k: 1:11:53 (66)

Half: 1:15:58 (65)

30k:1:48:51 (61)

40k: 2:27:13 (58)

Finish: 2:35:39 (57)

Hallissey said:

Obviously the conditions and the twisty course with the cobbles made it tough, this is my third marathon in 12 months as well which doesn’t really help – I’m feeling a bit tired but I enjoyed it – the atmosphere was amazing so I’m happy with how it went

I was gutted for Mara as I was just behind her as she pulled out at the drinks station. I know she’s had some injury problems but that’s not unusual with marathon running so it’s always hard to tell just how it’s going to affect you but obviously with the marathon it’s a hard race if you go into it not completely 100 per cent – it’s always going to be a tough one.

This year was my first time doing London anyway and I was really impressed with the atmosphere there – but today was just multiplied so-many fold. My ears are still ringing with all the support out there.

Ideally I would have liked to have gone a bit quicker but it’s not the fastest course out there and not the best conditions. It’s my first major championships so hopefully onward and upward!

Day Three Evening Session – Olympic Stadium

Women’s 400m Hurdles Heats  

Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold) progressed safely into Monday’s semi-finals after finishing third in heat one with 56.14.

"I’ve done the job but obviously I need to make sure I get that right in the semi final. I think I’ve probably given my whole family and my coach a heart attack watching that to be honest!" she said.

Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah) enjoyed a solid win in heat five to comfortably progress into the next round in 54.62.

She said: "It was really comfortable and it felt good as now I can safely say I’m through to the semis. It was really nerve-wracking but I did what I had to do."

Men’s 100m Semi-Finals

James Dasaolu (Kevin Tyler) finished seventh in heat one with 10.18 and did not progress to the final.

"It was a new experience for me, I don’t feel like I’ve done myself justice, I had a better performance in the heats so I’m disappointed with myself," said Dasaolu.

It was a similar story for Dwain Chambers and Adam Gemili (Michael Afilaka). Chambers ran 10.05 in heat two, while Gemili clocked 10.06 in heat three. Both times were not enough to secure fastest qualifier spots after finishing fourth and third.

Chambers said: "I’m happy, part of me is disappointed as I wanted to make the final based on the time yesterday that would have got me through but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes."

"For me it feels really good that I was able to come here and do really well and show what I could do but I’m sure there was more and I didn’t get to show it but that wasn’t meant to be," reflected Gemili. "To come third against two of the best sprinters in the world at the moment – to me it’s not too bad."

Men’s 1500m Semi-Finals

Ross Murray’s (Craig Winrow) Olympic final dream came to an end in semi-final one when he failed to make  the top five. He had to settle for 10th 3:44.92.

"In a couple of weeks, few days I’ll look back and think I can’t really complain, but right now I feel I could have been better than that," he said.

Andy Baddeley (Andrew Hobdell) could only manage eighth in heat two and did not make Tuesday’s final.

He said: "I wanted to get to the final and go better. I felt that sort of heat would have suited me but I did feel as though I was going as hard as I could go."

Men’s 400m Semi-Finals

The trio of Martyn Rooney (Nick Dakin), Nigel Levine (Linford Christie) and Nigel Levine (Linford Christie) all failed to make Monday’s final.

Williams finished eighth in heat one in 45.33, Levine sixth in heat two in 45.64 and Rooney fifth in the final heat in 45.31. 

Women’s 400m Final

Defending Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan) won a silver medal in season’s best time of 49.70.

"I just wish I’d held on to my title," she said.

"I felt myself tightening up and I tried to relax. I tried and tried then I realised no it’s just not going to happen."

Women’s Triple Jump Final

Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh) finished fifth with a jump of 14.48m.

Men’s High Jump Qualification  

Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Ahmed) qualified for Tuesday’s final with a jump of 2.29m.

"That was really good and just to plan," he said. I’ve been feeling good for a few weeks now. I’ve got higher expectations of myself than other people have of me and that’s a nice place to be."

Men’s Hammer Final

Alex Smith (Shane Peacock) finished 12th in the Olympic final with a distance of 72.87m.  

He said: "The competition didn’t go as well as it could have done. I could have thrown further. I think I was lacking some concentration out there, I think the whole experience might have got to me, I wasn’t nervous but I wasn’t as focused as I could have been. But I can take that away and use it in competitions next year and obviously we’ve got the world champs next year."