London Olympics | Distance races

United States’ Morgan Uceny kneels on the track after falling as Turkey’s Asli Cakir Alptekin crosses the finish line to win.  (Lee Jin-man / Associated Press)

An emotional Morgam Unceny of the United States leaves the track after falling on the last lap in the 1,500-meter race. She did not finish.   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Gold medalist Asli Cakir Alptekin of Turkey, silver medalist Gamze Bulut of Turkey and bronze medalist Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain cross the finish line of the women’s 1,500m final.  (Ian Walton / Getty Images)

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar wins the 5,000-meter final.  (Lee Jin-man / Associated Press)

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar puts a picture of the Virgin Mary on her face after winning the gold medal in the 5,000 meters race.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar, left, embraces teammate Tirunesh Dibaba after a women’s 5,000-meter heat. Defar won the gold medal and Dibaba the bronze.  (Anja Niedringhaus / Associated Press)

The United States’ Shannon Rowbury, lower left, leads in a women’s 1,500m heat. In the finals, Rowbury came in sixth.  (Gabriel Bouys / AFP / Getty Images)