Flash Interview - Second Day
Men's pole vault:
Igor
Potapovich (KAZ), gold medallist:
"I can't believe it. My plan was to start at
5.65m, then try 5.85m, but if the competition
needed it then I would try 6.00m. It's a pity
that the long jump competition interfered with my
run up. I would have liked to have had Bubka here
and I am sure that the public would have seen
6.00m".
Lawrence Johnson (USA), silver:
"I feel alright. I just wish I could compete
better! We still have a lot of work to do. I must
continue to improve my technique but year after
year the improvement is coming and let's hope it
will continue. On reflection, I must be happy
with the silver."
Maxim
Tarasov (RUS), bronze:
"If you take the philosophic side I'm really
happy for Potapovitch. He's in good shape. My aim
was to be in the three bests. I did the
minimum."
Women's triple
jump:
Inna
Lasovskaya (RUS), gold medallist:
"Paris was always my favourite town and
Bercy my favourite track. I was not expecting
such a result. I thought maybe 14.80m or 14.90m
would be enough to take gold. The difference
between my winter and summer performance is
around 40cm so I will have to work still
harder."
Ashia Hansen (GBR), silver:
"I'm very pleased with my silver medal, and
what can I say about my national record (14.70m).
There was a lot of stress these past days over
whether I was going to be in the team and I was
determined to give a good show. I suppose I
should have expected to be beaten by Lasovskaya
with a jump of 15 metres, but she was the only
one who could do that."
Sarka
Kasparkova (CZE), bronze:
"I have never won a medal in competition
with my last try. I was certain that I would get
a medal after the new Czech record (14.66m). It's
great and I can imagine how disappointed the
Romanian (Rodica Mateescu) must be."
(Mateescu jumped 14.65m!)
Women's shot put
final
Vita
Pavlysh (UKR), gold medallist:
"Frankly speaking, I needed the money,
that's why I competed this winter. What will I do
with this money? I have two brothers and my
parents are retired."
Astrid
Kumbernuss (GER), silver:
"I don't like to lose but I think there is a
slight excuse: my long illness."
Irina
Korzhanenko (RUS), bronze:
I expected a medal. I thought I had to put the
shot between 19.50m and 19.60m and I did my best
performance ever with 19.49. I'm really very
happy."
Men's 200m Final
Kevin
Little (USA), gold medallist:
"I just go into each round wanting to get
through it successfully, so I must be pleased
with a medal and especially the gold. The new USA
record is a great bonus."
Troy
Douglas (BER), bronze:
I'm happy. You can't turn the clock back, despite
how this has happened, how can I not be
happy."
John Smith
(trainer of Ato Boldon):
"Ato felt a contracture at the bottom of his
left hamstring at the end of the curve. He
stopped when he felt it in the whole hamstring. I
don't think it is important. After two weeks he
is going to recover. He will be better in the
summer. I am very confident in the future."
Men's 1500m Final
Hicham El
Guerrouj (MAR), gold medallist:
"I'm really happy. The race was very fast. I
did not break the record, but after all, I took
my revenge after my fall in Atlanta."
Rudiger
Stenzel (GER), silver:
"Shabunin started to race surprisingly fast,
so I was getting more and more nervous. When I
saw the 1km split I knew that I could manage it.
Silver is more than I expected."
William
Tanui (KEN), bronze:
"You have to be very fit to catch up with El
Guerrouj. I will not be disappointed and I will
not feel down, this would do no good."
Men's long jump
Final:
Ivan
Pedroso (CUB), gold medallist:
"I feel good. What more should I say after a
competition like this!"
Women's 3000m
Final:
Gabriela
Szabo (ROM), gold medallist:
"Before the race I was sure that O'Sullivan
will be the most dangerous opponent to watch. The
slow first 2 kms were a big help for me. Frankly
speaking, the finish is the strongest part of my
race, and I proved it."
Sonia
O'Sullivan (IRE), silver:
"My hard training in Australia is no excuse
as I have been resting all the week. I was in
fact quite confident and relaxed in the race but
I probably did go a little too early. You get
kind of excited on these occasions but it is
excellent to be back again. I didn't run a bad
race, just made a little mistake at the
end."
Fernanda
Ribeiro (POR), bronze:
" Szabo and O'Sullivan have been in better
shape than me today. I lost the possibility of a
better position in the last 200m."
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