Marina Muncan Advances to European Champs 1500 Final

Marina Muncan, already named to the Serbian Olympic team, advanced today to the finals of the 1500 meters at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland. She finished 7th in her heat in 4:12.33, but advanced on time to the finals. It marks the first time that Muncan has made it to the finals at the European outdoor championships (she did so at the indoor championships in 2007 and 2009, finishing 9th and 8th, respectively). Her outdoor PR at 1500 meters is 4:08.02 (set in August 2007), but Muncan has run sharply this year, running 4:08.33 on June 16th -- an Olympic "B" standard time that secured her spot on the Serbian Olympic team. Here are the qualifiers for the European 1500 final, with times from today's semi-finals:

European Championships -- 1500 Meter Final

Start List

1.  MISHCHENKO, Anna          UKR    4:08.95 Q   
2.  ÇAKIR - ALPTEKIN, Asli    TUR    4:09.44 Q   
3.  KHALEYEVA, Kristina       RUS    4:09.69 Q   
4.  MACÍAS, Isabel            ESP    4:10.06 Q   
5.  CAPKOVÁ, Tereza           CZE    4:10.22 q
6.  SUJEW, Diana              GER    4:10.72 q   
7.  GORBUNOVA, Yekaterina     RUS    4:11.58 Q   
8.  HARRER, Corinna           GER    4:11.59 Q   
9.  BULUT, Gamze              TUR    4:11.68 Q   
10. FERNÁNDEZ, Nuria          ESP    4:11.77 Q   
11. MÅKESTAD BOVIM, Ingvill   NOR    4:11.97 q   
12. MUNCAN, Marina            SRB    4:12.33 q