Almir dos Santos’ Meteoric Rise in the Triple Jump Ahead of IAAF World Indoor Championships
In the lead-up to the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018, Brazil’s Almir dos Santos has emerged as the favorite in the triple jump event. The 24-year-old has undergone a remarkable transformation, transitioning from the high jump to the horizontal jumps just last year.
Since making this switch, Dos Santos has enjoyed a remarkable upward trajectory. After opening his season with a 17.06m victory in the United States, the young Brazilian jumper continued his impressive form, winning at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting in Madrid with a world-leading personal best of 17.35m. He then improved on that mark with a sublime 17.37m effort in Lievin on February 13th.
“While there may be other athletes in the field with superior lifetime bests, Dos Santos’ rapid progression and smooth jumping style suggest that a breakthrough performance could be on the cards in Birmingham.”
The triple jump world record holder, Jonathan Edwards, would certainly take notice of Dos Santos’ burgeoning talent.
Dos Santos will face stiff competition from the likes of veteran Will Claye of the United States, who won the world indoor title in 2012 and has since claimed numerous major championship medals. Portugal’s Nelson Evora, the 2007 world champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist, is also expected to be in the mix, having won the European indoor title last year.
Furthermore, the evergreen Fabrizio Donato of Italy, at the age of 41, will become the oldest man to ever compete at the World Indoor Championships. And with a season-best of 16.94m, the seasoned Italian could well become the oldest men’s world indoor medallist.
With a dynamic mix of youthful talent and experienced campaigners, the triple jump event promises to be one of the highlights of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
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