Triple Jump Thriller at World Championships as Yulimar Rojas Dethrones Caterine Ibarguen
The IAAF World Championships in London witnessed a captivating battle in the women’s triple jump, as the young Venezuelan challenger Yulimar Rojas dethroned the reigning two-time champion Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia.
The intense competition came down to the final jump, with Rojas emerging victorious in a nail-biting finish that saw the duo from neighboring South American countries trade the lead round after round. Rojas took an early advantage with a 14.55m effort in the opening round, but Ibarguen responded immediately, soaring to 14.67m to take the lead.
“The last attempt by Caterine was hard for me,” admitted Rojas, who had earlier defeated Ibarguen this season. “I feared her last attempt, I was afraid that I could lose my gold medal there. But fortunately that did not happen.”
The see-saw battle continued, with Rojas reclaiming the top spot in the next round with a 14.82m jump, only for Ibarguen to edge ahead again with a 14.89m season’s best leap. However, the 21-year-old Venezuelan was not to be denied, bounding to a 14.91m effort in the penultimate round to regain the lead.
Despite a valiant final attempt by Ibarguen, who reached 14.88m, Rojas held on to clinch the gold medal by a mere two centimeters, becoming the new women’s triple jump world champion. Ibarguen’s silver medal was her fourth in the event at the World Championships.
Kazakhstani Bronze Medalist
Kazakhstan’s Olga Rypakova, the 2012 Olympic champion, secured the bronze medal with a 14.77m season’s best performance, her third World Championships medal in the triple jump.
“This is a great victory for my country,” said Rojas. “I am so proud about this gold medal. My family, my friends and my country – I made them proud and full of joy.”
The women’s triple jump event at the World Championships has often been decided by the narrowest of margins, but never before by just two centimeters, as Yulimar Rojas dethroned the reigning champion Caterine Ibarguen in a thrilling display of athleticism and competitive spirit.
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