Weissteiner gets his Olympic ticket at the Golden Gala in Rome

Silvia Weissteiner made a race within a race in a world-class field. While the Africans set a high pace from the start, the 32-year-old only had time on her mind. Together with Elena Romagnolo, she ran an even race at the back of the field. The kilometer crossing times were 3:02, 3:04, 3:06, 3:06 and 3:00.

The two Azzurre took turns in the tempo work. Weissteiner finished 12th in 15:18.04, with Romagnolo right behind in 15:19.78. Both achieved the Olympic standard and at the same time also the European Championship from June 27th to July 1st in Helsinki. It will be Weissteiner's second participation in the Olympics after Beijing 2008.

"That's a great satisfaction. At the beginning of the last lap I already knew that I would make it," said Weissteiner happily. "I knew that I had trained well, but a competition at a high level is always something different. It was an incredibly difficult race because I couldn't allow myself to be tempted to keep up with the African women's high pace. Luckily I was able to keep up Romagnolo alternate."

For Weissteiner it was the best 5000 m time since her seventh place at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. She was then plagued by injuries, some of them serious, for almost two years.

In the fight for victory in Rome, Vivian Cheruiyot was able to prevail by a narrow margin ahead of Meserat Defar (Ethiopia) in a final spurt worth seeing. The Kenyan, two-time winner of the BOclassic, won in the world's best time of 14:35.62.

Things went less well at the Golden Gala Hannes Kirchler . The 33-year-old from Meran had to be content with 57,74 m and eighth place in the discus throw. Four of his six attempts were invalid. Kirchler clearly missed the European Championship and Olympic standards. Superstar Usain Bolt won the 100 m in the world's best time of 9,76 seconds.

Results Compeed Golden Gala Rome (May 31, 2012) 5000m women 1. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (KEN) 14:35.62 2. Meseret Defar (ETH) 14:35.65 3. Viola Jelagat Kibiwot (KEN) 14:39.53 4. Gelete Burka (ETH) 14:41.43 5. Veronica Nyaruai (KEN) 14:44.82 6. Sylvia Jebiwot Kibet (KEN) 14:46.73 7. Genet Yalew (ETH) 14:48.43 8. Azemra Gebru (ETH) 14:58.23 9. Waganesh Mekasha (ETH) 15:07.35 10. Joanne Pavey (GBR) 15:09.53 11. Mercy Cherono (KEN) 15:17.74 12. Silvia Weissteiner (Gasteig/ITA) 15:18.04 13. Elena Romagnolo (ITA) 15:19.78

Discus men 1. Ehsan Hadadi (IRI) 66.73 2. Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) 66.31 3. Gerd Kanter (EST) 65.36 4. Zoltán Kovágó (HUN) 65.11 5. Piotr Malachowski (POL) 64.96 6. Jarred Rome (USA) 60.19 7. Giovanni Faloci (ITA) 59.33 8. Hannes Kirchler (Meran/ITA) 57.74

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Weissteiner gets his Olympic ticket at the Golden Gala in Rome

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