Women’s Long Jump
With the world’s top specialists skipping this competition, it was left to the second tier athletes to fight it out for honours. With the world leading mark this season just 6.90 – the winning performance in Maebashi by Russia’s Tatyana Kotova of 6.86 was respectable, but hardly a threat to Drechsler’s 1988 world record of 7.38. Kotova at least set a personal best as did Shana Williams of the USA with 6.82. This year’s world leader Iva Prandzheva was not at her best today – managing just 6.78 for the bronze.
Gold Medallist - KOTOVA Tatyana (RUS)
ATHLETE WENT STRAIGHT TO PRESENTATION AND SO WAS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED COMMENT.
"I arrived and felt great. For some reason the public in Maebashi were really behind
me today and this gave me drive to get the gold.
The runway and the competition conditions in general were excellent."
Silver Medallist - WILLIAMS Shana (USA)
"This competition was so open, nobody had any particular edge in terms of a
performance set prior to these championships.
Only 2 weeks ago I was pretty ill and then I had to go straight into the USA championships
and trials, to confirm my place on the team. This put a lot strain on me physically. So to
come here and get medal was more than I could have hoped for.
The one advantage I did have was that I ran in Maebashi last season so I knew the
track."
Bronze Medallist - PRANDZHEVA Iva (BUL)
"I am not happy at all, as I have jumped further than this earlier in the season.
Hopefully outdoors I can find my form again. On the other hand this is my first real medal
indoors, so that sort of compensates for it."
