Chanelle Price, winner of the 800m at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot (© Getty Images)
The USA has medal pedigree in the women’s 800m at the World Indoor Championships – three bronzes, to be precise, courtesy of Joetta Clark in 1997, Alysia Johnson in 2010 and Erica Moore in 2012.
But never before had a US woman won gold in the 800m at a senior IAAF World Championships, indoors or outdoors.
Chanelle Price, a 2007 world youth finalist, lined up for the final without a national title to her name, just a couple of silvers from the past two US Indoor Championships. What a time to suddenly produce her Midas touch!
Price, a 23-year-old graduate in journalism and electronic media, seized the day, and the race, in true carpe diem fashion.
She hit the front from the start and put her foot on the gas, powering through 200m in 27.88 and 400m in 57.73.
At the bell, Price led by a stride from 2012 European bronze medallist Maryna Arzamasava in 1:23.91.
With 100 metres to go, Price put her foot down again. It was more than enough, and she finished 0.36 clear in a world-leading 2:00.09.
However, the roars from the packed crowd were directed at Angelika Cichocka as the Pole surged through to claim silver in 2:00.45, with Arzamasava taking bronze ahead of the young Swiss runner Selina Buchel in 2:00.45.
Simon Turnbull for the IAAF
