Medal Press Conference Transcripts Day 2

MEN’S 5000 METRES Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Mohamed Farah (GBR)-14:05.82

The 10K gave me a lot of confidence going into the 5K. That 52.23 last lap showed I was in good form still after the 10K. I love competing at the European Championships. I’m not sure about the Continental Cup. I have the Great North Run and before that I will have a two-mile race in Birmingham.

For me this has been a very physical year. Two weeks ago, this competition was somewhat questionable. It would have been nice to go into this season fresh and without setbacks to run a good time in the 5K and 10K, but it didn’t happen. But it was great to do the double here and establish some history. Next year, I want to be injury-free and without illness going into the world championships.

Regarding Rio, I’m going to take one year at a time.

The marathon? It’s a completely different race. I struggled when I ran 2:08. I thought I could have gone faster based on my training. Sometimes when you are an athlete, you have to try things and if they don’t work, you don’t make excuses. I think the marathon would take two or three years to prepare. I might try it again after Rio, or I might just stay on the track.

It’s been a great week for the British team, starting with Jo [Pavey] winning on the first night and continuing on from there (with an eventual 12 gold medals). We also have a very young team, and that bodes well for the future.

Could I see myself competing at Jo’s age? I probably would have retired by that point, to relax with my family. By that time, I will have achieved most of what I wanted. Jo’s unbelievable. She shows that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve what you want.

(Regarding Mekhissi-Benabbad’s win in the 1500m). He did well. He’s a strong athlete. In my opinion, his penalty in the steeplechase was a bit harsh. But he did break one of the rules and that’s what happens. I think a yellow card would have sent the message sufficiently.

Silver: HayleIbrahimov (AZE)-14:08.32

I was ready for this competition. For me, the silver was good. I’m happy with the result.

Bronze: Andy Vernon (GBR)-14:09.48

I did think this was possible after the 10K. I don’t recall how Mo ran the last lap in the 10K, but he looked like he was working hard tonight in the 5K. I thought that we probably have a similar last lap and I thought I might still be able to get the better of him. I went for the win but my legs didn’t quite cooperate.

WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Ruth Beitia (ESP)-2.01 equal world leader

It’s true that I wanted to stop after the London Olympics but I changed my mind. It’s been a great championships here, and I’m happy with my winning mark of 2.01.

They say that time makes better wine, and I’m enjoying competing more than ever before. It’s been two magic years since the London Olympics. One of my success secrets is that I have been with the same trainer for 24 years.

I still have to decide if I will continue until Rio.

Silver: MariyaKuchina (RUS)-1.99

My jumps tonight were OK. I’m satisfied with my silver medal.

Bronze: Ana Simic (CRO)-1.99

(Was not present at the press conference.)

WOMEN’S STEEPLECHASE Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Antje Möldner-Schmidt (GER)-9:29.43

I was quite surprised. This was very unexpected. I was trying to make a fast pace early but it was not my intention to use this tactic to attack a gold medal. This was the right step in the right direction for me. But in world competition, the competition will be more fierce.

Silver: CharlottaFougberg (SWE)-9:30.16

I was pretty satisfied with the silver but I really wanted to take the gold. The pace was about what I had expected.

I’ve been running the steeplechase since 2007, and I wanted to be one of the best in the world. Today I’m the second best in Europe, so I’m moving forward.

Bronze: Diana Martin (ESP)-9:30.70

I’m not that surprised with my bronze. I came here to fight for a medal. I was confident when I arrived. I wanted to improve on my eighth spot on the European list.

WOMEN’S SHOT PUT Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Christina Schwanitz (GER)-19.90

(Schwanitz arrived after the other medallists had left and spoke privately with the German media.)

Silver: YevgeniyaKolodko (RUS)-19.39

I was happy with the silver because it was the first time I have competed at the European Championships. I’m not new to top competitions, however, because I’ve been to the Olympics and World Championships already.

I have trained hard to be good in the early throws, as well as the later throws.

Bronze: Anita Marton (HUN)-19.04 NR

I was only a little surprised. I usually throw 18m in training, and one usually throws farther in competition. I felt that the mid-18s would be enough for a medal. Today’s throw (a national record) was good, but not the best technically.

MEN’S 1500 METRES Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (FRA)-3:45.60

Over the last 100 metres I knew I could win. I gave all that I had. I wanted to show what I was capable of. I was very motivated tonight.

Tonight I will celebrate with my family. My congratulations to Henrik and Chris. I’m honoured to share the podium with them.

The people who were making negative noise at me at the start were only a minority. The majority of the people here were making me feel good. People who make such noises do not understand sport. They come just to eat chips.

I would like to perhaps double at the Olympics. Not a lot of people could do this. But I consider myself more of a steeplechaser.

Silver: Henrik Ingebrigtsen (NOR)-3:46.10

Someone stepped on my foot to start all of the problems. Probably it is not serious. A bandage will probably take care of everything. The pace was as I expected. I was in good position with 600m to go. One of the runners tripped in front of me and I lost a couple of positions. I got shoved inside to the curb. I could not get back out in time to keep up with Mekhissi when he sped up with 400 to go.

People were falling all around me right at the time Mekhissi took off, and I didn’t have time to react to this change of tempo.

If I had been in better position with 400 left, I might have fought for the gold medal. But I was too far behind.

Bronze: Chris O’Hare (GBR)-3:46.18

I was pleased to be the first British medallist in the 1500m since the Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe era. But the whole race was a mess. We were all fighting over each other, even before the first collision. I was trying to stay calm. At 250m there was a gap inside, but it closed on me fairly quickly. But in the 1500, you shouldn’t always take such chances. If it works, it works but it’s a risk.

I think I could have run a little bit better. I knew this final would be more like a boxing match than a 1500m run.

MEN’S MARATHON Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Daniele Meucci (ITA)-2:11:08

After running the 10K earlier this week (finished sixth), I feel very good. I tried to run fast in that race, and then I had three days of recovery. Now, it is hard to believe that I was able to finish the marathon in the first position.

During the last three days, I only recovered. Perhaps a 30- or 40-minute run each day. Feel that I’m in great company with the other Italian marathon champions (Stefano Baldini and GelindoBordin). Bordin is my Italian sponsor (Diadora) and he believes in me.

Marcin Chabowski (POL) had a big lead but I was able to catch him after 30K. I spoke before the race with my friend Ruggiero, and we waited for the right moment to make a push.

I do not plan any further marathons this year, but I feel that this distance is my future.

(Note that Meucci now has a full set of European medals, with gold in the marathon here, plus a previous silver and bronze in the 10K.)

I saw my son at the finish. He’s too young to speak yet, but I saw the happiness in his eyes.

Silver: YaredShegumo (POL)—2:12:00

It was long road, too long, to success. I stayed in Poland in 1999 after a competition. I ran a wide range of distances before arriving there, from 400m to 3K, and after arriving in Poland I began to focus on the longer distances. In 2007, I went to the UK to work for three and one-half years, doing such jobs as a security guard and a car park attendant. I returned to Poland in 2011 and started my marathon training in 2012. So, it was a long wait for me to be here today. I’m feeling much better now in the longer distances.

While I was still in Ethiopia, I ran 400m in 47.54 but I was more comfortable at the 800m distance which I ran in 1:48. I still return to Ethiopia on occasion for training, including my preparation for today. I came to Zürich directly from Ethiopia.

I ran earlier this year in Lodz to check on my condition before this competition. Today was my first marathon competition outside of Poland.

Bronze: Aleksey Reunkov (RUS)-2:12:15

This was a hard race because of the four hills. But I prepared well for the course by going to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan in July. I included a lot of hills in my training regimen there.

After the last hill, at the 37thkilometre, I saw AbdellatifMeftah of France ahead of me. He was third and I was fourth. I thought about pushing past him, and I did this in the 39thkilometre. During the final three kilometres, I focused on staying in third.

For the European Cup competition (won by his RUS team), during today’s competition I saw so many runners from Poland, Italy, France, and Switzerland ahead of me that I thought we could probably only take third place in the Cup. I had not reckoned on winning the team race.

MEN’S MARATHON Medal Press Conference transcript (Sunday, 17 August)

Gold: Daniele Meucci (ITA) - 2:11:08

Marcin Chabowski (POL) had a big lead but I was able to catch him after 30K. I spoke before the race with my friend Ruggiero, and we waited for the right moment to make a push.

I do not plan any further marathons this year, but I feel that this distance is my future.

(Note that Meucci now has a full set of European medals, with gold in the marathon here, plus a previous silver and bronze in the 10K.)

I saw my son at the finish. He’s too young to speak yet, but I saw the happiness in his eyes.

Silver: Yared Shegumo (POL) - 2:12:00

I ran earlier this year in Lodz to check on my condition before this competition. Today was my first marathon competition outside of Poland.

Bronze: Aleksey Reunkov (RUS) - 2:12:15

This was a hard race because of the four hills. But I prepared well for the course by going to the mountains of Kyrgyzstan in July. I included a lot of hills in my training regimen there.

WOMEN’S 5000 METRES Medal Press Conference transcript (Saturday, 16 August)

Gold: MerafBahta (SWE) -15:31.39

My tactic was easy: Go hard with 1000m left. I’ve trained hard in St. Moritz with the national team, so I was prepared for that.

I was very happy to win a gold medal for my new country of Sweden (emigrated from Eritrea and became eligible for Sweden last December).

Silver: Sifan Hassan (NED) - 15:31.79

I wanted to go on the last lap, but it didn’t work completely. I didn’t have the energy to do the short sprint at the end (100m).

Bronze: Susan Kuijken (NED) - 15:32.82

I was very happy with the bronze. I didn’t want to wait until the very end, so when no one would take the pace, I went with 800 left. I didn’t really run away from the others so I panicked a bit. Then I just sprinted to the end but I didn’t know my finish. One of my friends in the stands told me that I had the bronze.

It really gave me a boost that things were going well for the Dutch team. I’ve been having to stay in the hotel a lot to rest up, so it was good seeing them winning on TV.

I’m not necessarily running better because we have another good Dutch athlete now (Hassan). I have improved every year since I changed to my new coach, NicBideau. It’s good to have another good athlete in Holland.

WOMEN’S DISCUS THROW Medal Press Conference transcript (Saturday, 16 August)

Gold: Sandra Perkovic (CRO) - 71.08 world leader (best performance since 1992)

When I came to the stadium I was praying God for no rain, and everything was fine. I started with 65m (64.58) and after that I threw 67m (67.37). I threw after that 68.78. In the fifth round, I felt something and I had a good feeling. When I released the discus, I knew it would be over 70, but I was surprised to see 71.08. I was so happy because it was a new world lead and national record. This is my best shape ever.

When I look back at all of my past throws, I don’t think this was my ideal throw. I came here to get my third gold, and it didn’t matter if I did it with 62 metres. I’ll continue with the Diamond League and perhaps I can throw further.

I don’t want to think about the world record which is 76.80. It’s very far. Each year I want to throw further and further. Perhaps 72 next year, then 73 . . . and then I want to go to Chula Vista and throw a world record, because I have seen in Chula Vista there are very good results.

I know that someone threw 76.80 at one time in the past, but I think that my 71.08 today is the ‘world record of modern times’. I don’t want to talk about the past, about the 1980s. Let those times stay in those times.

Silver: Mélina Robert-Michon (FRA) - 65.33

This was quite different from my silver-medal performance in Moscow. I had more pressure here to confirm what I had done last year.

This medal was quite important because it was the first discus medal for France in 80 years. But it was also important for me, too. Our French team is winning lots of medals, and it’s important that one of them be in a throwing event. It motivates me for the future.

Bronze: Shanice Craft (GER) - 64.33

It was a great experience for me here with my first European championships. It was a great feeling that I could win a medal for my team.

I hope that I can contribute in the future to the great German tradition in the discus. I hope that with hard work I can also win a medal at the next international championship. I know that the competition will be at a higher level, but I also hope that my level will also have improved.

WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP Medal Press Conference transcript (Saturday, 16 August)

Gold: OlhaSaladukha (UKR) -14.73

The competition was easy for me but my season was difficult because of the situation in Ukraine. I had to move from my home in Donetsk to train in Kyiv. I was glad to have won a third consecutive gold medal in my event.

With my experience over the years, I realized that my early 14.73 might not be enough. I wanted to jump 15m which would certainly have been a safe jump.

I dedicate this medal to my daughter, whom I have not seen for a long time. It was important for me and my country to win today.