Zvereva emerges as a ‘Golden Oldie’

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Sydney: Ellina Zvereva of Belarus won the discus Olympic gold on Wednesday to become the oldest woman to win a track-and-field gold in Games history.

Just weeks before her 40th birthday, she blasted out a throw of 68.40 metres in the third round to beat Anastasia Kelesidou of Greece (65.71) and Irina Yatchenko, also of Belarus (65.20).

Any of Zvereva's first four throws would have been good enough to win the title.

It was her third Olympics since 1988. Zvereva, who weighs 90 kg and is 1.82 metres tall, came fifth in Seoul but then missed the Barcelona Games due to a 12-month ban for steroids. She finished third in Atlanta.

Zverva, already confident of victory, hardly bothered with her last two throws and gave an almost casual punch into the night air to celebrate her success. She will celebrate her birthday on November 16.

Yatchenko was struggling in fifth until her penultimate throw.

Germany's Ilke Wyludda, the 1996 champion, finished seventh with 63.16 metres while her team mate Franka Dietzsch, the 1999 world champion, was sixth with 63.18.



(c) Reuters Limited.