Canada’s Gary Reed wins silver in 800 at 2007 IAAF World track and Field Championships
Sunday, September 02, 2007
OSAKA, Japan - Gary Reed of Kamloops, B.C., was just nipped at the finish line in the men’s 800 final Sunday to win the silver medal for Canada’s second podium appearance as the 2007 IAAF World Track and Field Championships concluded.
Perdita Felicien of Pickering, Ont., was Canada’s other medallist, also with silver earlier in the week in the women’s 100 hurdles. Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal won gold in the women’s 1,500-metre demonstration wheelchair race on Saturday.
In the 800, Kenya's Alfred Kirwa Yego won the gold at 1:47.09 after he made a late surge past Reed as the two competitors crossed the line. Yego, 20, is the youngest world champion at any distance below 1,500 metres.
Reed who led the race from the outset, clocked1:47.10. Olympic champion and two-time world silver medallist Yuri Borzakovsky of Russia came away with the bronze in 1:47.39.
Reed almost pulled off an upset when he charged into the lead and took the field through the first lap in an almost leisurely 55.08 seconds to save himself for the sprint finish.
He was still in front when he came off the last bend into the straight and looked as though he would win before Kirwa Yego lunged past him on the line to win by little more than the thickness of his vest.
"This is just the greatest day of my life, this is beautiful," Reed said. "This is huge, this is bigger than big. It is a breakthrough for my career. When I was leading I slowed the race down because I knew I would have a better chance. The advantage of me not being the favourite was then when I striked nobody expected me to do so.
‘’It feels great; I’ve worked so hard for this. I’ve been training and getting ready for this and it all paid off. I finally accomplished my goal to win a medal at a majors. It just feels phenomenal.’’
In the women’s marathon, Canadian champion Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Thornhill, Ont., did not finish.
For more information:
In Osaka-
Mathieu Gentès
Team Canada Media Liaison
Athletics Canada
mgentes@athletics.ca
011-81-80-3021-6501
In Canada-
Emily Hooper
Athletics Canada
ehooper@athletics.ca
613-260-5580 ext. 3332
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