Britain’s Ashia Hansen, here representing Europe, has taken two stunning last round championship winning gold medals during this summer capturing the Commonwealth and European titles.
However, tonight one of the two athletes she had beaten, Cameroon’s Francoise Mbango Etone the African Champion and Commonwealth silver medallist, eventually got the better of the British triple jumper.
Mbango Etone produced a first round winning 14.37m for Africa, to which Hansen came desparately close in the third of four rounds with a leap of 14.32m. The African also had leaps of 14.25 and 14.01 in the third and fourth rounds, while Hansen’s only other registered jump was a 14.15 mark, from her first attempt. Immediately, after that first jump, the heaven’s opened with driving rain and a terrific thunderstorm delaying the competition for over half an hour.
Only Spain’s Carlota Castrejana with 14.13m for third was ever in the same competition as the two main protagonists from Africa and Europe.
