Report28 Aug 2011


Women's Long Jump - Final - Reese successfully defends

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Brittney Reese defends her World Championships Long Jump title (© Getty Images)

Brittney Reese, on a night when she wasn't really put under maximum pressure with two of her main challengers blowing the opportunity to grab the gold medal when failing to make the final cut of eight long jumpers duly, retained her World title.


The 24-year-old American won with only one valid jump of 6.82m in the first round and  that effort - the shortest ever legal clearance to clinch the title - came in the opening round.


Reese won't be bothered by the statistic, she now owns a second gold medal previously the domain of Germany's Heike Drechsler, Fiona May of Italy and the legendary Jackie Joyner-Kersee of the USA.


But after consigning Russia's Olga Kucherenko fifth finisher at the last championships in Berlin and Ineta Radevica, the Latvian winner of last summer's European gold medal, to the minor positions with their clearances of 6.77m and 6.76m, she now shares the accolade of having scored back-to-back victories with her fellow countrywoman.  


Also given her young age and tremendous enthusiasm for a sport which she only took up at the age of 17 having previously played basketball at college, the probabilities are almost certain that even more victories lie ahead for her.


Reese will reflect only her own self belief, a trait which defines most champions from losers, saw her reach the final. Staring elimination in the face in the previous night's qualifying round she cleared 6.79m the third best in the two groups with her last, vital attempt.


It was a face saver for the 2011 world and current leader in the Samsung Diamond League worldwide track and field tour where she looks a certainty to keep the overall crown from last year in her hands with only one meeting remaining.


Reese might also reflect that her latest victory was achieved without having to fend off the challenges of Brazil's reigning Olympic champion Maurren Higa Maggi and Funmi Jimoh her USA team mate who both failed to make the cut for the final.


Maggi who produced the best effort in the qualifying round of 6.86m started the final with two no jumps and mustering a paltry effort of only 6.17m with her last was eliminated. Jimoh currently second in the SDL standings fared even worse not managing a valid effort.


While Reese knew she was in a commanding position after her first round clearance, she didn't rest on her laurels, which accounts for five no jumps as she attacked the take off board in her bid to get over seven metres. She achieved it once in round three but her take off foot was 23.7cm over the marker.


Kucherenko and Radevica neither amongst the Top 10 performers in the event this summer will reflect on a good night at the office and getting it right on the occasion where it mattered most.


The 25-year-old silver medallist and runner up in the All-Russian Championships who finished third in the 2009 European indoor championships, reiterated with her placing in Berlin and a personal best of 7.13m last year, she is truly world class.


In the first round she propelled herself into the lead with an effort of 6.48m only for Radevica clearing 6.61m - the first of four season's bests she would achieve - taking over before Reese went on to the runway and took charge of the competition for the remainder of the night.


The second round saw Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova, the 22-year-old former World junior silver medallist from Belarus, go second with 6.71m and retain that spot when jumping three centimetres further in the next.


With the final cut decided Kucherenko reclaimed her runner up slot clearing 6.77m in the fourth round with Radevica again steering her body out to a distance of 6.61m but now down in fourth. There were no more dramas until the competitors came to take their last jumps.


That saw Kucherenko match her 6.77m best again before 30-year-old Radevica arguably a surprise winner of the European title in Barcelona, launch herself out to 6.76m and deny Mironchyk-Ivanova a podium finish.


Lauren Lee and David Martin for the IAAF


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