It truly came down to the 800 meters here. Diane Lewis, the great heptathlete from Great Britian won her first gold medal in the Olympics, adding to her 1996 bronze medal with a superb win in the Sydney heptathlon. Sheila Burrell, who no heighted in the high jump, showed real guts and finished the other six events.
Multi events are real challenges.
One day you feel good, and a second you feel bad, but you go on. 1976 Gold medalist Bruce Jenner told me that you have to try and take one event at a time, and think of nothing else. Try your tall, flexible athletes who can sprint and handle a field event or two. Young women who like to run sprints, relays and long jump are good prospects. I remember a real good heptathlete at Hartnell college who would run cross country in the fall.