Glover wins one for the older crowd
HELSINKI, Finland (AP) – Sandra Glover heard the talk all week about the youth on the U.S. team taking home medal after medal. On Saturday, she won one for the older crowd.
The 36-year-old Glover took bronze in the 400-meter hurdles at the world track and field championships, running a personal-best 53.32 seconds. Favorite Yuliya Pechonkina of Russia won in a world-leading 52.90, while another American, Lashinda Demus, was second in a personal-best 52.90.
The United States later filed a protest, saying Pechonkina’s trail leg went around the first hurdle, but it was denied.
“I don’t want to scare you guys but I still have more. I feel like there’s more in me,” Glover said.
Only five members on the American team are older than Glover, a former school teacher. All five are either marathon runners or race walkers.
Glover said feels like a great-aunt to many of the younger members of the team.
“Some of them call me Ms. Glover. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Because I taught in school, I don’t know. They show me respect,” she said.
Glover won silver at the last world championships in 2003, but she failed to make the Olympic team last year when she finished fourth at the trials. This year, she finished third at the U.S. championships.
The 22-year-old Demus, who won the U.S. title, is one of the rising young stars. She ran the race from lane eight – not exactly ideal – but is ready to take on Pechonkina again. It was the first time in a 400 hurdles race this year that she lost.
“Obviously (Pechonkina) was going to get it. It was written before we even knew it,” Demus said. “I just know I can do better, and I will do better. I’ll come back and I’m going to get her. Tell her to watch out.”
As for Pechonkina, the world title was a long time coming. The Russian, who set the world record in the event in 2003, has been one of the most consistent hurdlers the last few years. But she had no world or Olympic titles to prove it.
Pechonkina finished eighth in Athens last year and won bronze at the 2003 world championships after faltering at the eighth hurdle.
At the 2001 worlds, she finished second.
“I have been waiting for this gold medal for two years now,” Pechonkina said. “I do not think it has quite sunk in yet. I am just very excited. I did not run a perfect race, there were some technical aspects I could have done better, and I feel like there is still a lot left in me.”
MARATHON NEWS: The race directors for the world’s major city marathons said Saturday they will start working together to try to better the event.
The London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons want to share ideas in improving race day operations, technology to better service fans and participants, and marketing and promoting the top athletes and the sport. In addition, the group will focus on building a competition element modeled on the success of the Grand Slams in professional golf and tennis.
“This is cooperation, not collusion,” said Mary Wittenberg, New York City Marathon race director. “We have learned over the past few months that we have more that binds us than divides us and that we share a common vision for our sport.”
NURMI’S SON: The son of legendary Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi says many things about his father were myths.
Paavo Nurmi won nine Olympic titles and three silver medals before he was banned for professionalism. Although he shunned publicity, Nurmi lit the Olympic flame at the Helsinki stadium in 1952.
The Finns built a statue of Nurmi outside the stadium, where the worlds are taking place.
LUCKY 13: The number 13 was lucky for Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus.
The shot putter won the gold medal in the women’s event Saturday, which was Aug. 13.
“I was sure I would do well because today is the 13th … my lucky number,” said Ostapchuk, who won the gold with a throw of 67 feet, 31/2 inches. Olga Ryabinkina of Russia took bronze, followed by Valerie Vili of New Zealand.