Scotland’s Chris O’Hare survived his baptism in the rough and tumble of a men’s world championship 1,500 metres to advance safely to the semi-final.
But it was a bad day for GB & NI’s Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford, who lasted barely an hour in the competition and later got involved in a war of words over selection.
Going in the third morning heat, O’Hare had the advantage of knowing what he had to do to qualify, with the first six in each heat progressing automatically, along with the six fastest losers.
He didn’t hang around, shoving Kenyan Olympic finalist Nixon Chepseba out of the way with 600 metres to go and employing his shoulders, arms and elbows to hold the kerb for the entire third lap before being swallowed up by the heat’s fast men in the home straight.
He eventually finished eighth, but the pace he injected into the race brought him home in 3:38.86, good enough to qualify as a fastest loser.
“I knew coming here that I was going to have to push it hard. I was trying to win like it was a gold medal,” said the 22-year-old, who came through the ranks at Edinburgh AC.
“I didn’t have as much as I’d have hoped in the last 100 metres, but these guys are the best in the world so I’ll take something home from that and maybe know to save a little bit more for the last 100 metres in the semi.”
Overlooked for London 2012 a decision the West Linton athlete publicly criticised O’Hare this time kept his determination and aggression for the track.
“I knew that if I was going to make it I was going to have to run with a lot of heart and a lot of guts, so that’s what I did,” he said.
“I got bullied at the Diamond League in Birmingham and I wasn’t letting that happen today. I was getting pushed around and showing people too much respect and that’s just not good enough.
“I knew that if I wanted the rail I was going to have to fight for it and get them out the way no matter who they are.”
O’Hare, who has recently finished a sports science course at Tulsa University in Arizona, progressed to the semi-final as the 14th fastest qualifier.
But it was a bad day at the office for Olympic long jump champion Rutherford and he was happy to admit it. Rutherford never got going and finished 14th with a modest leap of 7.87m, with only the top 12 going through to the final.
“It’s definitely not the outcome I expected,” he said.
“It’s gutting coming to something feeling great again and with all the expectations in the world and not being good enough, which is what it comes down to.
“I felt pretty good, running down was OK as well, and perhaps the only thing in the back of my mind was waiting for the impending pain to strike.
I think possibly that’s the only place “where I didn’t have enough time to mentally make sure it was all gone because physically I felt great.
“I felt great, running down the runway I felt fast, on plant I didn’t hurt and after the first round I genuinely thought I could do something but it wasn’t good enough. mUltimately I am not where I need to be.”
Rutherford was chosen for the worlds ahead of Chris Tomlinson, with whom he shares the British record. Given Rutherford’s recent injuries, including a “massive” hamstring tear, many thought the wrong athlete was sent to Moscow.
Tomlinson commented angrily on Twitter about Rutherford’s selection, before withdrawing the tweet.
“I did everything possible to be picked,” countered Rutherford. “I jumped better this year. I got myself fit again.
“I felt for Chris. It would have been great to have us both here. But I am still British No 1 as it stands. I have jumped further than him multiple times this year. I have beaten him every time apart from when I got hurt.
“If you are looking at the better person who’s achieved the distance, and has won more head-to-heads, and has a major world title behind him, it’s a no brainer.
“Chris is obviously going to be upset, but there is nothing I can do about that.”