Gong takes bronze in shot put
Source: Agencies |
August 18, 2009, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GONG Lijiao captured China's third medal at the world championships in Berlin on Sunday when she took the bronze in the shot put with a time of 19.89.
New Zealand's Olympic champion Valerie Vili defended her world title with her best effort of 20.44 meters. Germany's Nadine Kleinert took silver at 20.20.
"She pushed me hard," Vili said of Kleinert, who had the crowd at the Olympic Stadium behind her.
Vili trailed in fourth after the first two rounds but then produced the effort that put her into the lead, a throw of 20.25. She improved in the fifth, throwing 20.44 meters to secure the gold medal and her 22nd consecutive victory. She is undefeated for nearly two years.
"I started slowly but she pushed me hard and I am glad she did, it was a good showdown," the 24-year-old Kiwi said.
Kleinert took the lead in the first round with a heave of 20.06, a personal best. She then improved it to 20.20 in her third effort. "Maybe I pushed her as well," Vili said.
The 33-year-old Kleinert said she hardly expected such a good result this late in her career. She was the bronze medalist in 2007 and took silver in 1999 and 2001. She was also the Olympic silver medalist in Athens in 2004.
"I didn't feel that great in the morning and I was also concerned that the concentration would be gone once the sprinters enter the stadium," Kleinert said. "So I tried to give my best in the first three efforts."
While the crowd cheered Kleinert, it also supported Vili - and she acknowledged it.
"It's a very knowledgeable crowd in Germany. They were for Nadine but they also applauded me," Vili said. "I felt pressure from Nadine, not from the crowd. Maybe it wasn't such a great result, but I got the gold."
Britain's Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon title, leading from start to finish in the seven-discipline competition.
New Zealand's Olympic champion Valerie Vili defended her world title with her best effort of 20.44 meters. Germany's Nadine Kleinert took silver at 20.20.
"She pushed me hard," Vili said of Kleinert, who had the crowd at the Olympic Stadium behind her.
Vili trailed in fourth after the first two rounds but then produced the effort that put her into the lead, a throw of 20.25. She improved in the fifth, throwing 20.44 meters to secure the gold medal and her 22nd consecutive victory. She is undefeated for nearly two years.
"I started slowly but she pushed me hard and I am glad she did, it was a good showdown," the 24-year-old Kiwi said.
Kleinert took the lead in the first round with a heave of 20.06, a personal best. She then improved it to 20.20 in her third effort. "Maybe I pushed her as well," Vili said.
The 33-year-old Kleinert said she hardly expected such a good result this late in her career. She was the bronze medalist in 2007 and took silver in 1999 and 2001. She was also the Olympic silver medalist in Athens in 2004.
"I didn't feel that great in the morning and I was also concerned that the concentration would be gone once the sprinters enter the stadium," Kleinert said. "So I tried to give my best in the first three efforts."
While the crowd cheered Kleinert, it also supported Vili - and she acknowledged it.
"It's a very knowledgeable crowd in Germany. They were for Nadine but they also applauded me," Vili said. "I felt pressure from Nadine, not from the crowd. Maybe it wasn't such a great result, but I got the gold."
Britain's Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon title, leading from start to finish in the seven-discipline competition.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
