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| In 400, Frantic Surge and Stunned Favorite | |
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| MOSCOW — It was not as if Amantle Montsho had not been warned. | MOSCOW — It was not as if Amantle Montsho had not been warned. |
| In June, Montsho was in the lead in a 400-meter race in Birmingham, England. The finish line was beckoning and then — suddenly — there was Christine Ohuruogu surprising Montsho with a surge from behind and snatching the victory by one hundredth of a second. | In June, Montsho was in the lead in a 400-meter race in Birmingham, England. The finish line was beckoning and then — suddenly — there was Christine Ohuruogu surprising Montsho with a surge from behind and snatching the victory by one hundredth of a second. |
| On Monday night in Moscow, in the 400 that mattered most this season, Ohuruogu ambushed Montsho by an even smaller margin. | On Monday night in Moscow, in the 400 that mattered most this season, Ohuruogu ambushed Montsho by an even smaller margin. |
| “You have to be careful because she is strong in the mind,” said Montsho, looking close to tears. | “You have to be careful because she is strong in the mind,” said Montsho, looking close to tears. |
| Six days of competition remain in these world track and field championships, but the suspicion is that the race of the meet has already been run. | Six days of competition remain in these world track and field championships, but the suspicion is that the race of the meet has already been run. |
| It did not look like much of a classic when Montsho emerged from the final curve with a healthy lead, but Ohuruogu, the captain of the British team this year, has long been a formidable finisher, confident in her strength and her back-half closing power. | It did not look like much of a classic when Montsho emerged from the final curve with a healthy lead, but Ohuruogu, the captain of the British team this year, has long been a formidable finisher, confident in her strength and her back-half closing power. |
| With 70 meters to run, she was still three strides behind Montsho. But Ohuruogu relentlessly closed the gap. With five meters remaining, she still looked destined for silver, but she made a final surge and leaned forward at the line while Montsho, believing she was in command, did not. | With 70 meters to run, she was still three strides behind Montsho. But Ohuruogu relentlessly closed the gap. With five meters remaining, she still looked destined for silver, but she made a final surge and leaned forward at the line while Montsho, believing she was in command, did not. |
| “I did not see Christine coming from behind,” Montsho said. “I think if I knew that, I would pull my chest forward and I would have made it.” | “I did not see Christine coming from behind,” Montsho said. “I think if I knew that, I would pull my chest forward and I would have made it.” |
| It was still too close to call immediately and Ohuruogu was hardly beaming like a winner as she stood, hands on hips, past the finish line. | It was still too close to call immediately and Ohuruogu was hardly beaming like a winner as she stood, hands on hips, past the finish line. |
| Her handshake with Montsho was friendly, but then a name finally flashed on the scoreboard. It was Ohuruogu’s, giving her a second world outdoor title to go with her victory in 2007. | Her handshake with Montsho was friendly, but then a name finally flashed on the scoreboard. It was Ohuruogu’s, giving her a second world outdoor title to go with her victory in 2007. |
| Hundredths of seconds are usually quite sufficient to determine 400-meter champions, but this duel — the closest in world championships history over the distance — required thousandths. Ohuruogu won in 49.404 seconds with Montsho in second at 49.408. The bronze medal went to Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia in 49.78. | Hundredths of seconds are usually quite sufficient to determine 400-meter champions, but this duel — the closest in world championships history over the distance — required thousandths. Ohuruogu won in 49.404 seconds with Montsho in second at 49.408. The bronze medal went to Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia in 49.78. |
| Based on career results, it was no upset: Ohuruogu won Olympic gold in 2008 and a silver behind Sanya Richards-Ross in 2012. Montsho, a nomad whose training base is in Dakar, Senegal, but trains farther afield, has yet to win an Olympic medal; she finished fourth last year as her coach was not in London because his visa and accreditation were not processed in time. | Based on career results, it was no upset: Ohuruogu won Olympic gold in 2008 and a silver behind Sanya Richards-Ross in 2012. Montsho, a nomad whose training base is in Dakar, Senegal, but trains farther afield, has yet to win an Olympic medal; she finished fourth last year as her coach was not in London because his visa and accreditation were not processed in time. |
| But Montsho was the reigning world champion and the slight favorite, and the surprise was that a year after her draining Olympic season, Ohuruogu was able to find the energy and motivation to produce a national record, one that dated to 1984, when Kathy Cook ran 49.43 at the Olympics in Los Angeles. | But Montsho was the reigning world champion and the slight favorite, and the surprise was that a year after her draining Olympic season, Ohuruogu was able to find the energy and motivation to produce a national record, one that dated to 1984, when Kathy Cook ran 49.43 at the Olympics in Los Angeles. |
| “It’s what I’ve been working for all season,” Ohuruogu, 29, said. “It’s been a passion for myself and my coaches to strive for the British record, because I kind of have everything else. I won in ’07 and ’08 and won Commonwealth gold, but the national record is as old as I am, literally.” | “It’s what I’ve been working for all season,” Ohuruogu, 29, said. “It’s been a passion for myself and my coaches to strive for the British record, because I kind of have everything else. I won in ’07 and ’08 and won Commonwealth gold, but the national record is as old as I am, literally.” |
| Not anymore, and the gold medal was the bonus. | Not anymore, and the gold medal was the bonus. |
| “You know if you would have dipped at the line, you would have won gold?” someone said to Montsho. | “You know if you would have dipped at the line, you would have won gold?” someone said to Montsho. |
| “Yes, yes,” she answered, looking even closer to tears. | “Yes, yes,” she answered, looking even closer to tears. |
| Monday’s other foot races did not produce a similar level of heartache or suspense. | Monday’s other foot races did not produce a similar level of heartache or suspense. |
| Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce dominated the women’s 100. A powerfully built Jamaican whose pink hair extensions matched her shoes, Fraser-Pryce does not have the global profile of her even more flamboyant fellow islander Usain Bolt, but their results in the 100 have been remarkably similar. | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce dominated the women’s 100. A powerfully built Jamaican whose pink hair extensions matched her shoes, Fraser-Pryce does not have the global profile of her even more flamboyant fellow islander Usain Bolt, but their results in the 100 have been remarkably similar. |
| Like Bolt, she now has won two world outdoor titles in the 100 and the last two Olympic gold medals in the 100. On Monday, Fraser-Pryce had a clear lead at the 10-meter mark and built on it from there, winning in 10.71 seconds, the year’s fastest time. Murielle Ahouré, who represents Ivory Coast but has lived in France and now lives in the United States, took the silver medal in 10.93 seconds. The defending world champion Carmelita Jeter of the United States finished third in 10.94. | Like Bolt, she now has won two world outdoor titles in the 100 and the last two Olympic gold medals in the 100. On Monday, Fraser-Pryce had a clear lead at the 10-meter mark and built on it from there, winning in 10.71 seconds, the year’s fastest time. Murielle Ahouré, who represents Ivory Coast but has lived in France and now lives in the United States, took the silver medal in 10.93 seconds. The defending world champion Carmelita Jeter of the United States finished third in 10.94. |
| Some familiar threats were missing from the 100. The former world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica has tested positive for a banned substance, reportedly a diuretic, and has been suspended. | Some familiar threats were missing from the 100. The former world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica has tested positive for a banned substance, reportedly a diuretic, and has been suspended. |
| Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago came to Moscow but flew home Saturday before the first round was contested. On Monday, the athletics federation of Trinidad and Tobago confirmed in a statement that her absence was “related to doping matters.” | Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago came to Moscow but flew home Saturday before the first round was contested. On Monday, the athletics federation of Trinidad and Tobago confirmed in a statement that her absence was “related to doping matters.” |
| The federation declined to provide further details, but what is clear is that two of the three women who won medals in the 100 at the 2011 world championships are facing drug bans. | The federation declined to provide further details, but what is clear is that two of the three women who won medals in the 100 at the 2011 world championships are facing drug bans. |
| Campbell-Brown won the silver behind Jeter in Daegu, South Korea. Baptiste won the bronze and had run the third-fastest time this year. | Campbell-Brown won the silver behind Jeter in Daegu, South Korea. Baptiste won the bronze and had run the third-fastest time this year. |
| Other winners Monday included David Oliver of the United States in the men’s 110 hurdles in 13 seconds flat, Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany in the men’s pole vault at 19 feet 4 inches, and Valerie Adams of New Zealand in the women’s shot put with a throw of 68-6. | Other winners Monday included David Oliver of the United States in the men’s 110 hurdles in 13 seconds flat, Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany in the men’s pole vault at 19 feet 4 inches, and Valerie Adams of New Zealand in the women’s shot put with a throw of 68-6. |
| Oliver, 31, was the best hurdler in the world in 2010 but had never won a major global championship until Monday. | Oliver, 31, was the best hurdler in the world in 2010 but had never won a major global championship until Monday. |
| What won this gold medal for him was his precision: the powerful Oliver can leave a trail of fallen hurdles after a race, but he ran a clean race in the final (tripping and falling only after the race was over). The American Ryan Wilson was second in 13.13 seconds and Sergey Shubenkov of Russia third in 13.24. | What won this gold medal for him was his precision: the powerful Oliver can leave a trail of fallen hurdles after a race, but he ran a clean race in the final (tripping and falling only after the race was over). The American Ryan Wilson was second in 13.13 seconds and Sergey Shubenkov of Russia third in 13.24. |
| Victory was a release for Oliver, who howled with delight as he crossed the finish line, and it was a symbolic victory: his mother, Brenda, a leading 400-meter hurdler in her prime, missed a chance to compete in Moscow because of the 1980 Olympic boycott. She was in Luzhniki Stadium on Monday, however. | Victory was a release for Oliver, who howled with delight as he crossed the finish line, and it was a symbolic victory: his mother, Brenda, a leading 400-meter hurdler in her prime, missed a chance to compete in Moscow because of the 1980 Olympic boycott. She was in Luzhniki Stadium on Monday, however. |
| “It was cool to represent her,” Oliver said. | “It was cool to represent her,” Oliver said. |