OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Murray claims superb final silver for Team GB

By Aimee Howarth, Sportsbeat, London 2012

GREAT Britain's Samantha Murray claimed a silver medal in the London 2012 women's modern pentathlon to continue a rich tradition of medal success.

Murray, who was selected for the Games ahead of 2008 Beijing silver medallist Heather Fell, continued a run of podium performances for British women that dates back to the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Murray set off the concluding combined event in fourth but overtook Amelie Caze and Yane Marques to move into the silver medal position as she left the final shooting range.

SILVER: Samantha Murray crosses the line to claim silver in the modern pentathlon with a hard working final effort

 

The 22-year-old, who crossed the finish line in the stadium top huge cheers from the British crowd as Laura Asadauskaite of Lithuania, who claimed gold, celebrated ahead of her.

It caps a remarkable year for the Lancashire athlete, who also won bronze at the World Championships in Rome earlier this year.

"I had a lot to make up on so I needed that run," she said, who started the last event in fourth on 3236 points.

"I've made a few mistakes today which had set me back in the field but I came through in the end and my shooting was reasonably good as well so I'm just so pleased.

"My legs just kept running for me and I was so happy. Up the hills as well it was so steep and I just kept working really hard.

"Four years ago I was doing my A levels at school. I wasn't training with the GB squad. I had started pentathlon already but I was by no means performing on an international level.

"I started university in September 2008 and that's when my coaches took me up and I joined the GB squad and since then I've just progressed through the ranks, made the senior teams, won some medals along the way and made it to the Olympics Games.

"If you have goal, if there's anything you want to achieve in life, don't let anyone get in your way because you can do.

"Find the path that you want to take in life and stick to it because if I can do it, I'm a normal girl, anybody can do anything they want to do."

Fellow Brit and reigning world champion Mhairi Spence finished disappointingly in 21st position overall, after setting off in 14th and 38 seconds behind the leader Asadauskaite.

© Sportsbeat 2012