Would she go all out or play it safe? That was the big question surrounding Viktoria Sukacheva’s 800m run on the final day of the Kazakhstan Athletics Championships.
The women’s 800m event took place on July 12, the closing day of the national championships held at the Olympic Training Centre stadium in Almaty Region.
Two days earlier, on July 10, Sukacheva had shocked the stadium with an explosive start in the 1500m. Just 500 meters in, the 19-year-old from Almaty was already leading the pack by nearly half a lap – about 200 meters. Her breakaway was so unexpected it drew immediate attention from everyone in the stands. But then came a twist: she dropped out of the race after running approximately 800 meters. It later became clear that this was a planned move — a test run of sorts for the 800m, likely advised by her coach.
Apparently, both athlete and coach were satisfied with that trial, because on July 12, Viktoria used the same bold strategy in the 800m final. She covered the first lap in a blazing 1:01. But sustaining that pace proved extremely difficult. On the home stretch, it looked like she was running on sheer willpower — finishing in 2:11.90. After crossing the line, she staggered momentarily, her legs buckling beneath her. But she quickly regained her composure.
Meanwhile, three other runners were charging hard behind her in the final 100 meters, rapidly closing the gap. But Sukacheva’s early lead gave her just enough buffer to hold on for a dramatic national title win.
In second place was 18-year-old Aruzhan Altybay from Turkestan Region, finishing in 2:12.29. She impressively outkicked more experienced rivals down the stretch — including Pavlodar Region’s Yevgeniya Krassaeva (2:12.60) and Elizaveta Volkova (2:12.92).
July 12, 2025 – Kazakhstan Athletics Championships. Women’s 800m
- Viktoria Sukacheva (Almaty) – 2:11.90
- Aruzhan Altybay (Turkestan Region) – 2:12.29
- Yevgeniya Krassaeva (Pavlodar Region) – 2:12.60
In the photo: Viktoria Sukacheva in action. Photo by Konstantin Knyazevich.
