The 26-year-old runner was already competing in the 1500 m event at noon, even though her mind was still spinning from the fantastic Friday finish and 4th place in Europe.
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Before the championship, the greatest hopes were pinned on the 1500 m event with G. Galvydytė, who trains in the USA. She improved the national record in this distance, which had not been broken for 38 years, running it in 3 min. 59.74 sec.
However, in Birmingham, she missed it by 0.03 sec. In the first qualifying heat, G. Galvydytė finished in 4:10.87 and only dropped to 7th place right at the finish. Only the first six qualified for the Sunday final.
- The fastest in G. Galvydytė’s race was the world vice-champion and Olympic medalist British Georgia Hunter Bell (4:08.97).
- In the race for the final, the Lithuanian was also overtaken by the Pole Klaudia Kazimierska (4:09.61), Portuguese Salomé Afonso (4:10.07), Italian Ludovica Cavalli (4:10.32), French Adèle Gay (4:10.56), and the Czech Kristiina Sasínek Mäki, who was just 0.03 sec faster (4:10.84).
“A lot of emotions… I didn’t see the competitor who came out (ahead) at the last moment. Just like I came out in the 800 m final yesterday…,” the Lithuanian said, still catching her breath right after the 1500 m finish.
– Yes, it hurts… But at this moment, I would say, maybe it’s enough? A lot of emotions, sleepless night, mixed caffeine, adrenaline… Great fatigue. Not in the legs, just felt a bit bad.
Summing it all up, I’m glad the focus was on the 800 m event.”
“Today in the qualifiers I ran fast (led at 400 m, – ed.). That’s not bad. We didn’t run fast, and I saved meters – I didn’t have to run a longer distance (later overtaking competitors, – ed.).
Maybe I hoped the competitors would be closer and someone would keep me company. I really believed I would be in the final here too. The competitor only came out at the very end, I really didn’t see her. I thought I might still be fifth. It was really a tough finish, but sometimes it’s still good for me. I hoped to hold on.”
- Tuesday: 800 m qualifiers – 1:58.99 – 11th place
- Thursday: 800 m semifinals – 2:03.59 after a fall
- Friday: 800 m final – 1:59.12 – 4th place
- Saturday: 1500 m qualifiers – 4:10.87
- Sunday: 23:13 1500 m final (did not qualify)
“Yes, it’s really hard,” said G. Galvydytė about the tight schedule.
Leaders in the 800 and 1500 m usually choose one event, but the trainee of coach Justinas Beržanskis did not have a firm answer.
“If I’m already running 800 m, I don’t see why not run 1500 m as well. If something happens, I would have a second event, so the decision (to run both) was definitely good,” said G. Galvydytė. “I think that during the season we will decide in which event I am stronger. But at the world championship, both events went very well. I wanted to repeat that here. Or have 1500 m as a backup. Everything went perfectly. Today I just tried to get into the final, and even if I don’t make it – it’s still good.”
“I really didn’t have time to even think about the 800 m final yet. This morning I only briefly took my phone. I didn’t allow myself to absorb everything because that emotion would have been a bit exhausting. As I mentioned, all those support messages drove me to be here at the start and fight again for a place in the final. Thanks again for them,” the Lithuanian record holder thanked.
– Speaking about the remaining starts this season, I am very close to the “Diamond League.” I would really like to get in – either in 800 m or 1500 m. I would prefer to run 800 m because I feel my work in this event is not finished yet. I think I still have fuel in my tank. I would like to run more, but of course, it’s very hard when there are so many good runners in the 800 m event.
800 m is also closer to my heart. 1500 m is still a new event for me. Yes, the results show that I am in good athletic form and can run, but sometimes maybe it’s about what you like more. So far, I feel very good running 800 m.”
“Now I’m still a bit disoriented about where I am. I’m really looking forward to when I can go to sleep,” G. Galvydytė concluded the conversation and her performance in Birmingham.
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You can find the Lithuanian schedule and expectations at the European Championship here.
