Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal wins EC gold in half marathon

A day and a half after Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal (33) lost the 5000m EC gold medal, she got her revenge.

Sunday, June 9, 11:12

– It’s a relief because you achieved your long-cherished goal. I guess I’m howling at the goal there, it just goes to show: «Feder, this! I finally understand. “It’s a relief. There’s no better feeling than this,” Grovdahl told NRK.

This is Grovedale’s fourth EC medal in track and field. She already has bronze medals in the 10,000m hurdles and 3,000m hurdles.

Just a day and a half ago, she won the silver medal in the 5,000 meters.

On Sunday, she got her sweet revenge: With a time of 1:08.09, the 33-year-old not only won the sensational European Championships gold medal in the half marathon, but also set a new championship record for the distance.

– It’s really delicious. I’m relieved and happy. “With a silver and a gold medal, I should be very satisfied with this championship,” the winner told NRK.

She also acknowledged that Friday’s drop in gold prices provided some additional momentum:

– It means a lot. I have worked hard for many years and I have so I wanted 5,000 gold coins, so I was a little vindictive. “I really wanted that gold medal, and I’m glad it worked out today,” Grovdahl said.

• Watch Grøvdal take silver in the 5000m:

– It’s fantastic and well-deserved. She has been running for many years and has trained hard. It’s fantastic to win a gold medal here, in addition to three European Championships cross-country gold medals and a silver medal two days ago, says Knut Jæger Hansen, Grovdal’s coach.

– Hansen added that she is a well-trained athlete and has great talent.

This gold medal is his first in EC athletics. It is also the first EC gold medal won by a 30-year-old Norwegian woman. Trine Hattestad won the gold medal in the javelin in 1994.

– She has run kilometre after kilometre, year after year, for this sporting moment. When Grøvdal crossed the finish line, NRK’s ​​Vebjørn Rodal exclaimed, “It’s finally Grøvdal’s turn.”

“I have to admit, I shed a tear myself,” Jack Waitz, the former husband and coach of the late running legend Grete Waitz, said on NRK.

With about three kilometers to go, Grøvdal was leading alone.

But for long periods there was a unified group of five runners that seemed to be fighting for a medal.With six kilometres to go, Grovdal and Romanian Joan Chelimo Melly overtook with another two kilometres to go.

Then, with three kilometres to go, Mellie had to take her back to Grovedale.

Arriving at the Olympic Stadium, there was a class difference between Grovdal and Merry – they had no chance of bringing the Norwegian back.

– Vebjørn Rodal of NRK said it was Ferrari against Lada in the closing seconds.

Grovdahl’s personal record in the half marathon is 1:07.23, which he ran in Copenhagen last year.

• Have you ever encountered this huge blister?