Abeylegesse From Turkey Wins Gold Medal In 10000m Race In Barcelona

BARCELONA - Turkish athlete Elvan Abeylegesse won women's 10,000m at the European Athletics Championships at Barcelona's Olympic stadium.

Abeylegesse, Turkey's first world record holder, --at 5,000m in Bergen in 2004-- clinched Turkey's first gold medal at the championship on Wednesday.

Turkish athlete finished the race in 31 minutes 10.23 seconds, 12 seconds ahead of Russia's Inga Abitova. Portuguese runner Jessica Augusto finished in third place.

"I am now very happy to win the gold medal in 10,000m. I was a little bit afraid just before the race because of strong rivals and the wind. I have won silver in all previous races but today I won the gold," Elvan told the A.A after the race.

She also said that she had a minor injury in her foot and that she has not yet decided whether or not she would run 5,000m women's final.

Meanwhile, another Turkish athlete, Meryem Erdogan, came fifth in the race with her 31 minutes 44.86 seconds run

Source: http://www.aa.com.tr/index.php?option=com_haber&popup=hayrinti&haber_id=282386

Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse (R) receives a bouquet of flowers after winning the women's 10,000m final at the 2010 European Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on July 28, 2010. AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images)(Photo Credit should Read /AFP/Getty Images)