Just before the final straight in the 800 meters event, the star of this event Audrey Werro fell under the feet of the Lithuanian athlete, and G. Galvydytė simply found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and fell painfully together.
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After lying down for a while, she jumped to her feet and finished with a decent result – 2 min. 3.59 sec.
The Lithuanian delegation immediately filed a protest, which was soon accepted – G. Galvydytė will run in the 800 m final on Friday.
“I don’t even know what happened here… (Last year at the World Championships) In Tokyo, because of competitors falling, my place was ultimately worse and I was a bit envious, but now the Universe gave me too,” smiled G. Galvydytė.
– I lay on the ground for 3–4 seconds and still ran in 2:03. I finished almost walking because the whole tactic was disrupted… But I showed in the heats, where I was first in my race, that I am here for a reason.
It’s a pity that it happened this way (speaking about the fall – ed.), but nothing can be changed.
I grazed my elbow and hip, but it’s nothing – we will work with physiotherapists, tape it up and everything will be fine (laughs).”
“That was the plan – to run behind A. Werro. She is next to me, finishes well, you can expect that holding on her back will be good for me too. But today she chose a slightly different tactic… She is very tall, runs with long strides like a gazelle, so she often cannot avoid those falls… I didn’t understand why her tactic was different, I even got worried that it wouldn’t be good.
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I tripped over her leg,” continued G. Galvydytė, hoping for a successful protest.
– I won’t lie, I would have been surprised if I hadn’t made it to the final. I really tried to avoid that fall, I jumped, but it was very difficult to do… If I had avoided it, maybe everything would have been different? But it was not in my hands. So I would definitely have been disappointed if (the protest had not been accepted). I believe I could have been in the final. We will see.”
Eventually, after the protest, A. Werro also qualified for the final, so 10 runners will compete in the intriguing medal final on Friday. Among them is the Lithuanian athlete.
We remind you that on Tuesday G. Galvydytė was the fastest in her qualifying heat – 1 min. 58.99 sec., and showed the 11th time in the qualification.
Before the championship, the biggest expectations for the athlete training in the USA were linked to the longer 1500 m event, which is yet to start.
- Tuesday: 800 m heats – 1:58.99 – 11th place
- Thursday: 800 m semifinal – 2:3.59 (after the fall)
- Friday: 23:46 800 m final (if qualified)
- Saturday: from 14:15 1500 m heats
- Sunday: 23:13 1500 m final (if qualified)
Most likely, G. Galvydytė ran the 800 m this season a month ago in Los Angeles – 1 min. 58.28 sec., and her career best is 1:57.96 sec. achieved last year in Tokyo.
The Lithuanian record since 1988 still belongs to Dalia Matusevičienė – 800 m in 1 min. 56.7 sec.
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You can find the schedule and expectations of Lithuanians at the European Championships here.
