© Stade de France ®
Macary, Zublena et Regembal
Costantini - Architects
ADAGP - Paris - 2002
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COMPETITION  PORTRAITS |
 MARIA MUTOLA SUPER STAR
Paris 2003 Saint-Denis
Mozambique's Maria Mutola has never gone in for the superstar treatment. The self-effacing Mozambican cruised to a third world 800 metres title on Tuesday to add to a medal collection that already includes one Olympic and five World Indoor golds.
Easy does it
Maria Mutola has never been the type to blow her own trumpet. And now, after a decade dominating the 800 metres she can let her record do the talking. The Mozambique legend first won the world title in Stuttgart back in 1993, and ten years later in Saint-Denis she was never troubled as she stepped on the gas to ease clear of the field. Her two main rivals, Austria’s Stephanie Graf and Slovenia’s European champion Jolanda Ceplak may have been missing but the race still needed to be won, and Mutola showed all her experience to avoid any mishaps. Leading from the front, the champ steered clear of the pack, and after letting Kelly Holmes steal a march round the bend, kicked clear in the home straight.
Typically, Mutola preferred to speak of her pleasure at seeing training partner Kelly Holmes come back from injury to claim second spot. “She has had a lot of problems with injuries. She was very low and had to fight to get motivated. My job was to help her and it’s great to see she has won the silver medal.”
17 consecutive wins
Now aged 30, Mutola is as hungry as ever for success, despite 17 straight victories and a third world title. “To win a world championship, whenever, wherever, is always a dream for an athlete! I’m currently having a great year with this world title and all my wins in the Golden League, where I’m unbeaten,” she insists. Mutola is now the only athlete left capable of walking away with the million dollar prize awarded to the athletes that win all six Golden League events.
Helping the children of Africa
Mutola hails from a poor family and now intends using that sum, providing she wins the final Golden League race in Brussels, to help children in her country. She is used to giving away her winnings too. A football nut, she was responsible for saving the Grupo Desportivo club form the creditors a few years ago. The Mozambique heroine is also one of a few African athletes to continue to compete in continental championships after making it big on the international stage. Which means she has a stack full of African titles and African Games medals to go with all the others!.
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