Christine Ohuruogu Wins Womens 400 meters

While winning the Olympic 400-meter gold medal has not sunk in yet, Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain says she is 'very happy.'

 

Although, Ohuruogu adds, while the event put her under the greatest amount of pressure she has ever had to endure, she is happy just to have come 'out the other end.'

Ohuruogu, the first British woman to win the Olympic 400-meter title, was born and brought up in east London and is now set to be one of the faces at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.

Christine Ohuruogu won the gold medal in the 400 meters with a time of 49.62 seconds ahead of Silver Medalist Shericka Williams of Jamaica (49.69 seconds). American Sanya Richards (49.93 seconds) finished in third place.

At the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain powered her way down the stretch of the women's 400-meter final to win the gold medal. Ohuruogu (49.61 seconds) and Nicola Sanders (49.65 seconds), also of Great Britain, overcame Jamaican Novlene Williams at the finish line. Williams finished third with a time of 49.66 seconds.

Christine Ohuruogu Interview on Winning the Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

How do you feel today?

It’s a nice feeling I’m very happy. I think I’m just happy that it’s kind of over.

It’s very tough coming into these championships, extremely tough so I’m just relieved I can roll out of bed today and know that it’s finished now.

Has the gold medal sunk in yet?

I think its more difficult, it hasn’t really sunk in good as it was in the semi finals. Semi finals I was very sharp it was a build up from round one, I couldn’t believe I’d actually won because that for me was, I wouldn’t say one of the hardest races, but in terms of pressure it was one of the biggest amounts of pressure that I had to deal with.

I’m just happy that I came out the other end.

I think that is the most important thing that I didn’t switch off and I fought, even though I didn’t think I was my best person on the day.

You won gold in track & field for Great Britain how does that feel?

Oh it’s great, its so great to win this medal for Great Britain and it’s so great that I have won the medal for track and field because I think that we were kind of lagging behind, but we got two medals last night and hopefully more will come.

So its really good, I’m really glad I’m helping Team GB on the medal table.

Christine Ohuruogu was suspended from competing in the 2006 European Athletics Championships. The reason for this was that she missed three out of competition drugs tests, one in October 2005 and two in June 2006.

She received a one-year ban for missing these tests. The British Olympic Association also banned her from competing at future Olympic Games for Great Britain. She appealed her Olympic ban and it was overturned on November 27, 2007.

 

 

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain Wins Womens 400 meters at 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics