Updated on
Summary Russias Mariya Savinova won the womens 800 metres gold at the London Olympics.
Russian world champion Mariya Savinova held off a fast-finishing Caster Semenya of South Africa on Saturday to win the 800 metres Olympic title.Savinova, who was winning a fifth successive major title, made the decisive break coming round the bend and while the young South African came from fifth to second she had given herself too much to do.Savinova timed 1min 56.19sec to Semenyas 1:57.23 while another Russian, Ekaterina Poistogova, took bronze.Its just amazing. Right now I cant feel anything, but Im amazed, said the 26-year-old champion.Semenya accepted that she had not run the greatest tactical race of her life -- she was last going down the back straight.We all make mistakes, hopefully the next race will be better, said Semenya.It was a good race, I am happy with the result. I left it a bit late, but I am happy with the silver. But my coach (former Olympic champion Maria Mutola) is not really happy but Savinova is a good athlete, a good competitor.I just need to train harder. I must let the (Russians) know Im there.Kenyas defending champion Pamela Jelimo had taken the pace up 300 metres out but was overwhelmed by Savinovas burst and the 22-year-old was passed by Semenya and edged out on the line by Poistogova.I knew the Russians were very strong, said Jelimo.What can you do? You have to accept that sometimes you are at the top and sometimes you are not.My body did not stick to the task, but for me its the best I can do.For Semenya it was a second successive silver medal at a major championships - she was second in last years world championship - after being cleared to return after a traumatic time following her world championship win in 2009.Semenya had to undergo drug tests followed by gender tests following that magnificent victory in Berlin.
