Great Britain's Christine Ohuruogu (left) in the Women's 400m Semi Finals during day eight of the London Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium,, London. Mike Egerton/PA Wire

London 2012: GB women battle into Olympic relay final

Dave Evans, Olympic reporter
Friday, August 10, 2012
7:41 PM

British women go through in relay semis

Great Britain’s women’s 4x400m relay team battled their way into tomorrow’s Olympic final, but they will have to improve if they are to have a chance of a medal.

The team of Shana Cox on lead off, Lee McConnell, Elidh Child and Christine Ohuruogu on then anchor clocked 3.25.05 to finish third in their heat, but they were way behind both the United States and Russia.

Cox, of Woodford Green and Essex Ladies had an excellent first leg, matching the powerful Amercans outside her, but it was the Russians who took early control as Cox handed over to McConnell.

She ran another good leg, but a poor change over to Child left GB well behind the two leaders.

Child seemed to be running within herself and in the final straight she held off the challengers to hand over to Ohuruogu in third place with the Czechs chasing hard.

Ohuruogu showed the form that won her the silve medal in the individual 400m as she held the lead over the Czechs with ease to the end of the race, clocking 50.6, which was the third fastest of any girl in the semi-final as GB qualified comfortably in third, though way behind winners the US, who won in 3.22.09 and second placed Russia.

The first heat saw Jamaica cruise to an impressive victory in a time of 3.25.13 with Ukraine qualifying in second and France in third.

Cox was realistic about her run: “You want to put your team off in the best position and I did that I think,” she said. “I am going to have run faster in the final but I am pleased with that.”

Ohuruogu was relieved with her own run: “I didn’t really know what to expect, but it was nice to get the hard bit out of the way and we will now see what we can do in the final.”