Mutola fancies her chances

25 July 2002

Reigning World, Olympic and Commonwealth Games 800 metres champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique has been talking about what the Commonwealth Games means to her.

Her first Commonwealth Games was in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. “It was a good Games,” she recalls, “but I didn’t expect to see so many people. I was surprised to see that the Commonwealth Games was almost as big as the Olympic Games.”

Recalling how she got into athletics, she said: “I was playing football as a youngster when I was spotted, and they thought I might be a good runner. So from then on, I stayed with running.”

On her current fitness and chances of retaining her 800m title, she says: “My preparations have been going well and I think I am in good form. Kelly Holmes would have been the big threat but she is doing only the 1500m so that will work in my favour. My only event is the 800.”

Info News Service/dj/pjt