History was made yesterday in Berlin, Germany, when the world saw not only Usain Bolt set a new world record but also 23 year-old Jessica Ennis became Britain’s first ever heptathlon world champion and won the first gold of the championships for Briatin.
Her final points score was 6731, 238 more than Germany’s Jennifer Oeser who had 6493. It was a good day all round for for Britain’s women with Louise Hazel from Birchfield breaking through the 6000 points score for just the second time in her career and getting a personal best in the 800m in her first world performance.
Ennis, who missed the Beijing Olympics due to a fractured ankle, took the lead in the women’s heptathlon from the first day, setting PB’s in the high jump, 200m, shot put and 100m hurdles. Her performances in long jump and javelin, whilst far from disappointing, did reduce the difference between herself and Oeser.
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But with a comfortable 11 second lead, Ennis broke from the pack in the 800m, clocking 2:12:22, over two seconds faster than Oeser who claimed the silver medal. “I have dreamt so many times of being World Champion and doing the lap of honour, now I’ve actually done it.”
With Hazel finishing 14th and securing a PB of 2:15:85 in the 800m, both women were pleased. “I said at the beginning of the year, me and Jess would be back with a bang and we have been.”
It was a hard race for Olympic champions Christine Ohuruogu who lost the 400m semi-final to USA’s Sanya Richards with a 0.14 gap between them. Teammate Nicola Sanders also felt disappointment, being eliminated with a time of 50.45, her fastest since the World Championships 2007 in Osaka. Interviewed afterwards she admitted that, “I couldn’t have done anymore. I just didn’t have anything in my legs.”
With a mix of medals and disappointments for the British women, one person everyone is wondering about is Paula Radcliffe. Radcliffe won the New York City half-marathon yesterday, finishing at 1hour, 9minutes and 45 seconds. However she is still not sure if she will compete this coming Saturday in Berlin, but confirmed that “it is definitely more likely than it was this time last week.”
Imogen Jacobs, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine