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I watched this race. She was not the favorite in this race. Her better known teammate from Ethiopia was the favorite, but at the very end of the race, she was the winner. Immediately after crossing the finish line, this woman began desperately tugging at something beneath her uniform. It was this picture of the madonna and child. She looked up in praise to God and began thanking Him for her win in this race.

She she looked straight at the camera and held that picture up so it could be clearly seen. She made sure everyone knew who she thanked for the win. I don’t know if she speaks a word of English but she made sure everyone knew who she felt was responsible for her winning the race.

I don’t think I will ever forget get it. Even with all the fantastic performances, all the medals, and all the stories of accomplishment, it is this young woman’s act of praise to God which truly impressed me. May God continue to bless her and save her country.

Waryone, this is not a criticism of your comment, since the commentators were simply displaying their ignorance. Given the slow pace and the previous race won by Tirunish Dibaba, those who follow distance running were only waiting for Meseret to move. She has the most devastating kick this fan has ever seen. She is also an angel who helps to support Ethiopian villages and is involved in raising awareness, both inside and outside of Ethiopia, of the health issues threatening women and children.

One of the most touching scenes in track and field was a 5000 meter race with the same players, Cheryot and Tirunesh (who comes from an extended family of amazing runners). It was a similar plot with the commentators gushing over Tirunish, “The Baby-faced assassin”. Meseret did what she did yesterday, but after she finished, not stopping to gasp or fall to the ground, she turned to look back at Tirunish, meeting her at the line, hugging her and asking if she felt all right, with the look of a worried mother.

Something the American runners must be aware of, but thus far don't use - perhaps because there simply are too few great distance runners here - is that the North Africans run as a team. While I haven't had time to watch this race carefully, I have seen race after race where Meseret’s team mate, usually the lovely Sentiyehu Ejigu, runs at Meseret’s shoulder, effectively a “domestique”, to protect Meseret from the rough tactics. Those tactics have taken out Morgan Uceny in three important races, including the 1500 metere at this Olympics. Uceny, like Meseret, was a favorite in a tactical race. She has a devastating kick, and always runs conservatively. Watching Morgan through the semifinals, many expected Morgan to be on the platform, and Gold was high probability with Morgan's amazing leg speed.

In two races from which Morgan was knocked out, a runner - I believe both were African runners - takes the fall or gets spiked to interfere from behind. In one race another domestique, also an African, “accidentally” fell in front of Morgan. In 2010, when Morgan and Anna Pierce had the best times in the world, they were both taken out of the same race, which I believe was at 800 meters; both Morgan and Anna had run well under 2 minutes. The European tactical races are like roller derby, and the Americans run as individuals rather than as a team. Like it or not, that is the way this game is played.

For the running fans, the Algerian woman who won the 1500 had just returned from a two year drug suspension, and had run the second fastest time this year. The woman who had the fastest time this year, a Moroccan who was also just back from drug suspension, was banned again weeks before the Olympics. For whatever its worth, the Kenyans and Ethiopians are mostly Christians (Obama came from the Muslim Minority Luo tribe of Kenya) have seldom been sanctioned for drugs, and Meseret, as the drug sleuths have noted, has none of the characteristics common to the HGH users (human growth hormone), made famous by the bearded women from the USSR. It is a difficult problem because for many athletes drugs are the only way they feel they can be competitive. Sadly, quite a few US runners have used and been sanctioned for performance enhancing drugs. This is like the conundrum facing cycling.

Virtually everyone Lance Armstrong defeated in his many Tours has been suspended for using EPO or blood pooling. Some day we may have good enough techniques to clearly identify the “enhanced” athletes. Many, if not most of the athletes know who the dopers are, but hold their tongues for many reason, not least of which is that many of the dopers have professional contracts, the only way to make a living as runner, and the “clean” athletes depend upon the same few shoe manufacturers.

Meseret is a wonderful human being as well as an amazing athlete, and so are the women who joined her on the podium, none of whom are suspected, having had long careers of gradual improvement, of drug enhancement. Our Shalene Flanegan and Kara Goucher probably work as hard, and run their hearts out, but just aren't blessed with twenty five second 200 meter speed at 4800 meters of a 5000 meter race, which part of why they have moved to the marathon, where Meseret says she will move in the future.