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Ohuruogu storms into 400m final

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Video - Ohuruogu makes Olympic final

Britain's Christine Ohuruogu laid down an impressive marker as she won her 400m semi to reach the Olympic final.

Ohuruogu looked strong in the closing stages as she won in 50.14 seconds, her best time of the season, to qualify.

But her GB team-mates Nicola Sanders and Lee McConnell are both out after struggling in their semi-finals.

Meanwhile Andrew Baddeley produced a fantastic run in a difficult 1500m semi to reach his final and Tasha Danvers won her 400m hurdles heat with ease.

Baddeley was content to run at the back of the pack until the latter stages before fighting his way through the crowds in the final lap to finish third in his semi-final in 3:37.47.

"That race was stacked (with good athletes)," said Baddeley.

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Video - Baddeley qualifies for 1500m final

"It was my final and I just tried everything. Now I'm there I can start to think about what I can do in the final."

British trio Germaine Mason, Martyn Bernard and Tom Parsons all advanced to the final of the high jump, Mason and Bernard clearing 2.29m.

Parsons failed at that height but went through on countback after clearing 2.25m.

Ohuruogu was a fair way down the field coming into the home straight of the 400m, but she overhauled all her rivals as she showed her strength in the final few metres.

The same could not be said of Sanders, who missed valuable training time earlier in the season because of injury, as she finished fourth in her semi-final in 50.71.

"I felt quite good in the warm-up, but I haven't run as fast as I would have liked all year because of injuries," said Sanders.

"Being in lane nine certainly didn't help, I was there to be shot at. but I just tied up in the last few metres."

606: DEBATE

McConnell was mystified by her poor performance as she finished sixth in her semi in a time of 52.11.

"I didn't run particularly well," she said.

"I wasn't strong enough in the home straight. It's really disappointing to come here and not perform at my best."

Meanwhile, Britain's Tasha Danvers looked back to her best as she won her heat in the 400m hurdles in some style.

Danvers ran a time of 55.19, her best of the season by some distance.

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Video - Danvers on form in hurdles

Her improvement came after she finally managed to put injury and illness concerns behind her.

"After three hamstring injuries, one Achilles injury and a virus, I'm still standing," said Danvers.

"I'm so happy because it has been horrendous this season, there's no other way to put it.

"I was thankful just to be in the team but it's scary when you have a season like I have because there's no way knowing what you are going to do. I could have done anything from 59 to 54 seconds.

"That was more like the real me."

In the 100m hurdles, Britain's Sarah Claxton finished third in her heat in a time of 12.97 secs to qualify for the semi-final.

"I've definitely got more to come because that race was quite messy and I hit two of the hurdles so I know I can do better in the semi-final," said the 28-year-old.


Athletics medals table

Sunday, 24 August 2008 10:17 UK
RankCountryGoldSilverBronzeTOTAL
1also show each event results forUSA79723
Men's 100m001
Men's 110m Hurdles011
Men's 200m011
Men's 400m111
Men's 400m Hurdles111
Men's 4 x 400m Relay100
Men's Decathlon100
Men's Shot Put010
Women's 10000m001
Women's 100m Hurdles100
Women's 200m010
Women's 400m001
Women's 400m Hurdles010
Women's 4 x 400m Relay100
Women's Discus Throw100
Women's Heptathlon010
Women's Pole Vault010
2also show each event results forRussia65718
Men's 20km Walk100
Men's 4 x 400m Relay001
Men's 50km Walk001
Men's High Jump101
Men's Pole Vault010
Women's 20km Walk100
Women's 3000m Steeplechase101
Women's 4 x 100m Relay100
Women's 4 x 400m Relay010
Women's Heptathlon001
Women's High Jump001
Women's Javelin Throw010
Women's Long Jump010
Women's Pole Vault101
Women's Triple Jump010
3also show each event results forJamaica63211
Men's 100m100
Men's 200m100
Men's 4 x 100m Relay100
Women's 100m120
Women's 200m101
Women's 400m010
Women's 400m Hurdles100
Women's 4 x 400m Relay001
4also show each event results forKenya55414
Men's 10000m001
Men's 1500m010
Men's 3000m Steeplechase101
Men's 5000m011
Men's 800m101
Men's Marathon100
Women's 1500m100
Women's 3000m Steeplechase010
Women's 800m110
Women's Marathon010
5also show each event results forEthiopia4127
Men's 10000m110
Men's 5000m100
Men's Marathon001
Women's 10000m100
Women's 5000m101
6also show each event results forBelarus1337
Men's Decathlon010
Men's Hammer Throw011
Men's Shot Put001
Women's Hammer Throw100
Women's Shot Put011
7also show each event results forCuba1225
Men's 110m Hurdles100
Men's Decathlon001
Men's Long Jump001
Women's Discus Throw010
Women's Hammer Throw010
8also show each event results forAustralia1214
Men's 20km Walk001
Men's 50km Walk010
Men's Pole Vault100
Women's 100m Hurdles010
9also show each event results forGreat Britain1214
Men's High Jump010
Men's Triple Jump010
Women's 400m100
Women's 400m Hurdles001
10also show each event results forUkraine1135
Men's Pole Vault001
Women's 1500m011
Women's Discus Throw001
Women's Heptathlon100
11also show each event results forBelgium1102
Women's 4 x 100m Relay010
Women's High Jump100
12also show each event results forNorway1102
Men's Javelin Throw100
Women's 20km Walk010
13also show each event results forPoland1102
Men's Discus Throw010
Men's Shot Put100
14also show each event results forItaly1012
Men's 50km Walk100
Women's 20km Walk001
15also show each event results forNew Zealand1012
Men's 1500m001
Women's Shot Put100
16also show each event results forBahrain1001
Men's 1500m100
17also show each event results forBrazil1001
Women's Long Jump100
18also show each event results forCameroon1001
Women's Triple Jump100
19also show each event results forCzech Republic1001
Women's Javelin Throw100
20also show each event results forEstonia1001
Men's Discus Throw100
21also show each event results forPanama1001
Men's Long Jump100
22also show each event results forPortugal1001
Men's Triple Jump100
23also show each event results forRomania1001
Women's Marathon100
24also show each event results forSlovenia1001
Men's Hammer Throw100
25also show each event results forTrinidad & Tob0202
Men's 100m010
Men's 4 x 100m Relay010
26also show each event results forTurkey0202
Women's 10000m010
Women's 5000m010
27also show each event results forBahamas0112
Men's 4 x 400m Relay010
Men's Triple Jump001
28also show each event results forMorocco0112
Men's Marathon010
Women's 800m001
29also show each event results forCroatia0101
Women's High Jump010
30also show each event results forEcuador0101
Men's 20km Walk010
31also show each event results forFrance0101
Men's 3000m Steeplechase010
32also show each event results forLatvia0101
Men's Javelin Throw010
33also show each event results forSouth Africa0101
Men's Long Jump010
34also show each event results forSudan0101
Men's 800m010
35also show each event results forChina0022
Women's Hammer Throw001
Women's Marathon001
36also show each event results forNigeria0022
Women's 4 x 100m Relay001
Women's Long Jump001
37also show each event results forCanada0011
Women's 100m Hurdles001
38also show each event results forFinland0011
Men's Javelin Throw001
39also show each event results forGermany0011
Women's Javelin Throw001
40also show each event results forGreece0011
Women's Triple Jump001
41also show each event results forJapan0011
Men's 4 x 100m Relay001
42also show each event results forLithuania0011
Men's Discus Throw001

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see also
Rutherford into long jump final
16 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Sotherton fifth as Dobrynska wins
16 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Sotherton in bronze after day one
15 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Baddeley eases into semi-finals
15 Aug 08 |  Athletics
Beijing 2008
14 Feb 08 |  Olympics
Find your local athletics club
13 Oct 05 |  Get Involved


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