JOIN USTintu Luka’s first Olympic Games ended at the semifinal stage on Friday, with the Indian 800M runner finishing sixth in her heat.
Tintu clocked 1:59.69, her best this season and just below her career-best time of 1:59.17, which is also the national record.
The first two finishers from each of the three semifinals and the next two fastest made the finals. South Africa’s Caster Semenya, the world champion in 2009, won the race in 1:57.67, followed by Russia’s Elena Arzhakova (1:58.13).
American Alysia Montano set the pace in the race with Tintu placing herself in fourth position. Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei, the world champion in 2007, was in second spot, while Semenya was contend to be just behind the leaders.
The first 400 metres were covered in a quick 57.36 and soon after the bell, Arzhakova surged ahead followed by Jepkosgei. Tintu remained in fourth place and was struggling to break free but coming into the straight, she had slipped to sixth and despite a great effort in the straight, she remained in that position, clocking the second best time of her career.
Jepkosgei and Alycia made it to the final, taking the last two spots.
Tintu was placed 11th overall out of 24 semifinalists. From the first heat, defending champion Pamela Jelimo powered into the final while world champion Maria Savinova made it from heat 3.