Teenage sensation Pamela Jelimo became the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic track and field gold on Monday when she claimed the 800 metres in a world junior record of 1:54.87.
The 18-year-old beat home compatriot and world outdoor champion Janeth Jepkosgei (1:56.07) while 2004 Olympic silver medallist Hasna Benhassi of Morocco was third (1:56.73).
Mozambique's Maria Mutola finished fifth in her fifth Olympic final and the 33-year-old's sixth and final Olympics.
‘This is my final season for sure,’ confirmed Mutola, owner of three outdoor world titles and a record seven indoor crowns.
‘I am happy with race and my career has been good. It was tough out there, it was a very fast race. I just did a season's best and that is all you can do as an athlete.
‘However, I was hoping to finish a bit better.’
Mutola, though, believes that Jelimo can take the event onto another plane and even break Jarmila Kratochvilova's 25-year-old world record of 1:53.28.
‘Look at her (Jelimo) time, 1.54 is very, very fast, especially from someone who is 18-years-old and I am sure she will break the world record.
‘If she was running those times and she was 21 or 22, it would be an indication she can run fast, so she is ahead of schedule.
‘She (Jelimo) ran that race differently, at a frantic pace.’
Defeat for Jepkosgei was a bittersweet moment as it was the 25-year-old who advised the winner to move up from 400m to 800m at the end of last year.
However, she had nothing but praise for Jelimo.
‘She is a good lady,’ said Jepkosgei.
‘Coming second to Pamela is like a gold medal for me.’
Jepkosgei - considered like an older sister by Jelimo - set a searing first lap pace which saw the two Kenyans open up a huge gap on Jamaican Kenia Sinclair while Mutola settled in fourth.
At the bell, though, Jelimo moved smoothly past Jepkosgei and quickly opened up a sizeable lead while the others toiled behind them.
There was no doubt about the winner rounding the final turn and the only question was who would get the minor medals.
Benhassi made her move rounding it and quickly passed a retreating Sinclair while Mutola had given her all and had nothing left to fight back with and was eventually passed by the fast finishing Russian Svetlana Klyuka.
