Tara Davis-Woodhall soars to the world indoor long jump title in Glasgow (© Getty Images)
The ebullient Tara Davis-Woodhall made a grand entrance into the arena for the women’s long jump final on the closing night at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24, resplendent in now-trademark Stetson.
The world silver medallist likes to put on a show and, in swapping her hat for a first senior global crown, the 24-year-old US jumper duly obliged.
With a fourth round leap of 7.07m, she pulled decisively clear of the field, landing a 7.03m jump in the final round for good measure.
Only Davis-Woodhall, the world leader with 7.18m, has ventured beyond the magic seven-metre mark in 2024.
In the first three rounds, though, the woman based at the University of Texas in Austin was gripped in a see-saw battle with her US teammate Monae’ Nichols, a member of the Texas Tech University track team in Lubbock.
In the Scottish city that produced the band Texas, Nichols snatched the lead in the opening round, her 6.75m bettering Davis-Woodhall’s first attempt by 2cm.
In round two, the favourite took the lead with 6.79m. Nichols proceeded to nudge back in front courtesy of a 6.83m jump in the third round.
Only twice in 14 previous head to heads had Nichols got the better of the former world U18 champion. She improved to 6.83m in round four but then Davis-Woodhall uncorked her 7.07m.
And that was that. Nichols was unable to respond, following up with 6.68m and a foul.
In a dramatic fifth round, Spaniard Fatima Diame – sixth in last year’s world outdoor final – jumped 6.78m to edge the bronze by 1cm from Germany’s 2021 European U18 bronze medallist Mikaelle Assani.
Fifth place went to European heptathlon bronze medallist Annik Kalin. Her best, 6.75m, also came in the penultimate round.
Just 1cm down in sixth was Serb Milica Gardasevic. European indoor silver medallist Larissa Iapichino of Italy – daughter of 1997 world indoor champion Fiona May – finished seventh with 6.69m from that productive round five.
The gold and the glory, however, belonged to Davis-Woodhall, the fourth US winner of the event after Dawn Burrell, Tianna Madison and Brittney Reese.
“Every time someone says I'm a world champion, it really hits me,” she reflected. “I really did this. I am so happy, so grateful.
“This medal is for my all-time hero, my grandmother. She has come a long, long way to get to the top.
“She had her own business and now she is retired and happily enjoying my success. She will love this medal, so it's for her.”
Simon Turnbull for World Athletics
| WOMEN'S LONG JUMP MEDALLISTS | ||
| 🥇 | Tara Davis-Woodhall 🇺🇸 USA | 7.07m |
| 🥈 | Monae' Nichols 🇺🇸 USA | 6.85m |
| 🥉 | Fatima Diame 🇪🇸 ESP | 6.78m |
| Full results | ||
