Anna Bogdanova of Russia in the heptathlon javelin (© Getty Images)
5th personal best and a big lead for Dobrynska, heptathlon after 6 events
Ukrainian Nataliya Dobrynska will become one of the most unanticipated Olympic champions in Beijing. The 26-year-old bettered her personal best twice in the sixth event of Heptathlon, the Javelin Throw, ending up with 48.60m from round three and is a clear leader before the last event, 800m. It was her fifth personal best in six events.
Dobrynska leads the competition with 5878 total points, 145 more than Hyleas Fountain (USA), who was dropped way back in the Javelin. The American only managed a 41.93m throw and was well below 40m line before her last attempt. With a 48.15m personal best earlier this season it was a big disappointment and she has no chance to catch Dobrynska, who is a better 800m runner.
In fact Lyudmyla Blonska (UKR), who is only six points behind Fountain, has a very good chance to make it Ukraine 1-2 as her 800m running is much stronger. Blonska threw well 47.60m in Javelin, but of course hasn’t got any possibility for catching her countrywoman Dobrynska.
As expected Russian Tatyana Chernova had a good result 48.37m in javelin and has already risen to 4th place in the competition with 5575 total points. Chernova is 11.3 seconds behind Hyleas Fountain and has a chance to win a medal with a good 800m run. The Russian has a best of 2:10.10 from the World Indoor Championships and Fountain has not run under 2:20 since 2006.
Kelly Sotherton (GBR) will not get another Olympic medal as her 37.66m javelin throw was not enough. 5513 points and 5th place after six events leaves her too far behind. In sixth place there is another surprise name, Jessica Zelinka (CAN) who has 5495 points at this stage.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
Please NOTE when reading each event report that Silver medallist Lyudmyla Blonska failed a drugs test and so lost her medal
