Heptathlon, Women

The event was considered open because of injury problems to the leading contenders. Eunice Barber (FRA/SLE) had won the 1999 World Championships while defending champion Ghada Shouaa (SYR) was back but both were hampered by injuries and neither finished the hep. This left Denise Lewis (GBR), the bronze medalist from 1996, runner-up at the 1997 and 1999 Worlds, and 1998 European Champion, as the leading contender. The silver medalist from 1996, Nataliya )Natasha) Sazanovich (BLR), was also back. Sazanovich led after three events and the first day. She maintained the lead after the long jump, but it was close between her, Lewis, and Russia’s Yelena Prokhorova. But Lewis had by far the longest javelin throw among the leaders, and moved 63 points ahead of Sazanovich and 146 ahead of Prokhorova. Prokhorova was the best 800 runner among the three but could not catch Lewis, who won the gold medal.