Lurdes Mutola Foundation

Source: The Register-Gaurd

By: George Schroeder

BEIJING — Maria Mutola leaned heavily on the rail, panting.

“I’m very tired,” she said. “Very tired.”

And very finished, apparently.

The Springfield High School alumnus said her running career — her long-running career — finally ended Monday night with the Olympic women’s 800-meter final.

She ran a season-best 1 minute, 57.68 seconds but finished fifth in what she called a “very, very, very, very fast” race.

The winner, 18-year-old Pamela Jelimo of Kenya, ran 1:54.87, the ninth-fastest time in history, third-fastest time in Olympic history and a world junior record.

At 35, Mutola is almost twice Jelimo’s age. She said she ran as hard as she could, but wound up trying to hang on. Unofficially, Jelimo ran the first lap in 55.41.

“I just did my best,” Mutola said. “That’s all I can do.”

Mutola had been pushed in the first two rounds but managed to advance. She said she expected a fast race from Jelimo and Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei, the silver medalist (also from Kenya), who ran 1:56.07.

Mutola was in fourth and fifth place for much of the race. She moved into third place on the final curve but held the position only briefly.

Morocco’s Hasna Benhassi passed her and won the bronze in 1:56.73. Russia’s Svetlana Klyuka finished fourth (1:56.94).

“You cannot hope for anything, really,” said Mutola of her pre-race goals. “Just to run good and see what I could produce, that was my hope.”

Mutola has been a fixture and a fan favorite at the Prefontaine Classic, winning races for 16 consecutive years. She said four years ago in Athens she was finished as an Olympian but came back for her sixth time representing Mozambique.

This time around, she seemed pretty certain she was finished.

“For sure, for sure,” Mutola said.

Mutola said she was pleased with Monday’s performance, and with a splendid career that included 17 straight years ranked in the world’s top 10 in the 800 by Track & Field News.

“It would have been very nice if I could have finished on the (medal) podium, but I did my best,” she said. “I’m very happy. … It was good.”