CampuchiaOdekta Elvina admitted to making a tactical mistake when competing with Nguyen Thi Oanh and Pham Thi Hong Le in the women's 10.000m final of the 32nd SEA Games.
On the Morodock Techo run on the afternoon of May 12, Odekta finished third with 5 minutes 35 seconds 31, while the Vietnamese runners shared the two highest positions. Oanh finished first with 03 minutes 35 seconds 11, while Le finished second with 53 minutes 35 seconds 21.
According to Odekta, knowing that Oanh was at an outstanding level, she set her sights on winning a silver medal. But the plan was foiled by the tactics adopted by the two direct competitors. "I fell into the trap of two Vietnamese athletes, when they let me take the lead," Odekta told the Indonesian national news agency. Between .
Odekta Elvina (No. 416) on the women's 10.000m run at the 32nd SEA Games on May 12. Image: Hieu Luong
On the run yesterday, Odekta twice took the lead in the race. The first takes place right after the first water inning - when the 10th round of 25 rounds is almost over. But soon Oanh passed. The second time Odekta took the lead took place when the race was about eight rounds and Oanh entered the water.
The order of the top 3 at this time is Odekta, Le and Oanh respectively, and is maintained like that until the end of round 23. At this time, Odekta and Le entered the water, and Oanh ran straight. Odekta only ran ahead of Le one more distance and then dropped to third, and watched helplessly as the Vietnamese sprinted to the finish line with both legs.
“They probably slowed down a bit for me to take the lead. I should have run behind these two legs, to work hard to win the silver medal in the last leg", Odekta explained, referring to the second time she rose to the top and held this position from lap 17 to lap 23. This is the distance where the 31-year-old Indonesian runner became a "shield" for Nguyen Thi Oanh and Hong Le "hiding from the wind", recuperating, and then speeding back before entering the last two laps.
According to Odekta, for most of the race, she was "tortured and inferior" before the full physical strength, endurance and reasonable tactics of the two Vietnamese athletes. Even so, she was still satisfied that she had completed the minimum task of winning a medal.
Odekta (left) in the lead from round 17 to round 23, before exhausted, fell behind so Oanh (right) and Hong Le crossed the finish line first in the women's 10.000m content of the 32nd SEA Games on May 12. Image: Hieu Luong
Odekta also acknowledged the superiority of two Vietnamese runners. “Both of them have reached Olympic level. Of course we are also aiming for that magnitude. Hopefully, in the next competition, I can catch up with them,” she said.
Before the distance of 10.000m, Odekta Elvina won the marathon gold when competing in Siem Reap, surpassing Vietnamese athlete Le Thi Tuyet. “I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity even though I am not young,” Odekta said. “I really want to join the upcoming ASIAD to be motivated to strive and improve my personal achievements.”
The 10.000nd SEA Games women's 32m competition on the afternoon of May 12.
Hieu Luong (follow Between)
