RunBlogRun's Event of Day Four: Heptathlon, by Larry Eder

The women’s heptathlon came down to the final event, the 800 meters. In that event, the medals were still up for grabs. Brianne Theisen-Eaton could gain the gold medal if she beat Ganna Melichenko by 4.5 seconds or more. Katerina Johnson-Thompson had to beat Daphe Schippers by three seconds!

The third section of the heptathlon 800 meters added on to the exciting two day battle that heptathletes had in Moscow, on August 12-13, 2013.

Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Heptathlon 800 meters, photo by PhotoRun.net

The heptathlon is seven events over two days. On day one, the 100 meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put and the 200 meters. On day two, the heptathletes endure the long jump, the javelin throw and finish with the 800 meters.

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How good was the competition? Six of the top seven scored personal bests and there were two national records!

Ganna Melnickenko scored 6586, a personal best, to win the heptathlon for the Ukraine. Brianne Theisen-Eaton took the silver with a score of 6530, her personal best. Daphe Schippers, set a NR for the Netherlands with her score of 6,477. Claudia Rath of Germany was fourth in 6,462, again, her personal best. In fifth, Katerina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain, scored 6,449. Sharon Day of the US, was sixth in 6407.

Theisen, Melichenko, Schippers, photo by PhotoRun.net

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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