Caterine Ibarguen Seeks Triple Jump Glory at World Championships
As the IAAF World Championships London 2017 approach, Caterine Ibarguen’s quest to become the first three-time world triple jump champion appears to be back on track. The Colombian, now 33, has dominated the event since taking Olympic silver at the London Stadium in 2012, building a 34-meeting win streak that lasted until early 2016. Her resume boasts an impressive 15.31m leap, the fifth best performance of all time, achieved at the 2014 IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco. Ibarguen’s Olympic triumph in Rio last year, where she soared to 15.17m, the second-best jump of her career, further cemented her status as the event’s preeminent force.
However, the Colombian icon will face her stiffest challenge yet from 21-year-old Venezuelan sensation Yulimar Rojas. Rojas burst onto the scene in 2016, winning world indoor gold in Portland and joining the 15-metre club with a 15.02m effort in Madrid. Their thrilling duel in Rio resulted in Ibarguen’s victory, but Rojas has continued to push her rival, most notably with a 14.84m triumph over Ibarguen at the Rome Diamond League this year. The two traded blows again in Monaco, with Ibarguen narrowly edging Rojas 14.86m to 14.83m.
With no other jumper reaching the same lofty heights in 2017, the battle for bronze promises to be wide open. Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan, the 2012 Olympic champion and a three-time medalist at the World Championships, will be in the mix, as will Nubia Soares of Brazil, Kimberly Williams of Jamaica, and the latest Cuban prodigy, 21-year-old Liadagmis Povea. However, the main focus will undoubtedly be on the captivating rivalry between Ibarguen and Rojas, as they vie for the coveted triple jump crown in London.
🔗 Source
