Sum smashes PB to take surprise 800 gold in Moscow

ByReuters

Updated 18/08/2013 at 19:10 GMT

A personal best from Eunice Sum secured her a shock win in the 800 metres at the World Championships at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Eunice Jepkoech Sum of Kenya (R) celebrates winning the women's 800 metres final ahead of Ekaterina Poistogova of Russia (L) and second place finisher Mariya Savinova of Russia (2nd L) as Alysia Johnson Montano of the US falls (Reuters)

Image credit: Reuters

Unheralded Sum, the Kenyan trials winner, powered past the Russian Olympic champion on the home straight and threw her arms into the air as she crossed the line in a personal best time of one minute 57.38 seconds.

Savinova was second in 1:57.80 and American Brenda Martinez snatched third (1:57.91) from her compatriot and long-time race leader Alysia Johnson Montano who threw herself over the line before dissolving into tears.

Montano, fastest in the semi-finals, pulled away from the start and led by 10 metres at the bell but was clearly tying up as the athletes rounded the home bend and had nothing left to give in the dash for the line.

World Championships