Tatyana Lebedeva has not been short of success in her career. Concentrating just on her major outdoor triumphs, Russia’s 2004 Olympic and 2007 World Long Jump champion who has twice been a World gold medallist in the Triple Jump has plenty to be proud about.

However, the former Golden League Jackpot winner was the bridesmaid at the Olympics this summer in both the Long and Triple Jumps, taking silver behind Maureen Maggi of Brazil and Francoise Mbango of Cameroon respectively.

Entered for both jumps here in Stuttgart, today Lebedeva found herself without the threat of Brazil’s Olympic champion but of course that title had been taken in Beijing by Maggi without the presence of world season leader Naide Gomes of Portugal who didn’t make it through to the OIympic final.

On a dark, damp, windless day this was a listless competition which Gomes did enough to win with her opening effort of 6.68m, though she was to improve her day’s best with her last effort of 6.71m (0.1m/s wind).

Lebedeva threatened twice with 6.64m leaps but she even lost the contest for catching the bride’s bouquet on this occasion, as the position of maid of honour for this contest went to Estonia’s Ksenija Balta, with 6.65m - her season’s best. Balta who was a replacement for Maggi on today’s start list also leapt 6.64m on her last attempt.

Lebedeva tries again to win a major outdoor title this year when she takes on Olympic champion Mbango in the Triple Jump.

Chris Turner for the IAAF