Sum saves best for last as she bags gold
PHOTO | MOHAMMED AMIN President Kenyatta, First Lady Margaret and Russian Sports minister Vitaliy Mutko enjoy the 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships.
What you need to know:
- Just as she promised, the 2012 Africa silver medalist ran the best race of her life
- She zoomed past Brenda Martinez of the US with less than 30m to the finish for the stunning victory
If Kenyans thought Milcah Chemos' victory in women’s 3000m steeplechase was the performance of the championships, then they were wrong.
Eunice Sum’s victory was a classic David versus Goliath battle, saving the best for last as she floored giants including Olympic and World champion Mariya Savinova to win Kenya its second women’s 800m title since Osaka 2007.
Just as she promised, the 2012 Africa silver medalist ran the best race of her life, winning the two-lap race in a Personal Best (PB) of one minute, 57.38 seconds, pipping Russia’s Savinova to silver in season best 1:57.80 as the front-running Brenda Martinez from the US settled for bronze in PB 1:57.91.
Martinez took off to almost 15m lead from the gun with Sum, who was slow in reaction, staying second as they glided past the bell in 56.06.
Then a consistent Sum slowly worked her way to close in on Martinez at the last bend to homestretch. She zoomed past Martinez with less than 30m for the stunning victory.
“It dawned on me that I would win the race with three metres to go. For sure I am shocked, I just can’t believe it. The victory is a surprise to me,” said Sum, 25, who dedicated the victory to her mentor Janeth Jepkosgei and her coach Claudio Berardeli.
