Yargelis Savigne in Turin (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
World Triple Jump silver medallist Yargelis Savigne of Cuba produced her furthest ever leap of 15.09m at the “Nocturna de Alcalá” held last night on the outskirts of Madrid on a hot (34ºC) night of athletics.
The 22-year-old Cuban’s effort exceeded the 15 metres barrier for the first time in her career and also narrowed Russia’s Tatiana Lebedeva’s margin at the top of the world season’s list to a mere five centimetres (15.14 vs 15.09).
Savigne took advantage of the maximum allowable tailwind of 2.0 in the fourth round but her complete series is worth mentioning with all her efforts but the last surpassing 14.50 as follows: 14.63 (+1.0) – 14.52 (+0.8) – 14.76 (+1.5) – 15.09 (+2.0) – 14.55 (-1.0) – 14.15 (-1.1).
“Since last year, I knew I had a 15m+ performance in my legs,” said an elated Savigne. “I leapt 14.99 last May and have been able to finally reach that barrier today. It’s curious but I made my Triple Jump debut here in Alcalá two years ago (14.12/ 18 June 2005) only two months before taking silver at the Helsinki Worlds. Of course I’ll always be nice memories of Alcalá. I started my career as a Long Jump athlete but now my specialist event is the Triple Jump”.
Asked on her showdown with Lebedeva at next month’s Worlds in Osaka, Savigne only said: “let’s see”, and prior to that the Cuban is hoping for another podium position at the Pan-American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (23-29 July).
2.33 for Moya
World High Jump silver medallist Victor Moya was another of the top Cubans to perform well yesterday in Alcalá.
The 24-year-old managed a season’s best of 2.33m before stopping his competition. Moya had first-time clearances over 2.20 and 2.27 but needed two tries at both 2.31 and 2.33 which is his season’s best.
“I’m really satisfied with today’s outcome since I fell slightly injured during the Cuban Nationals when trying 2.35 and this season’s best proves I’m on the right path to this summer’s goals, the Pan-American Games in two week’s time and more importantly the Osaka Worlds.”
Right now, would you hope to match your Helsinki silver? “No, my fight there will be for the top place on the podium” answered an optimistic Moya who is confident to reach 2.40m “within a couple of years”.
Moya’s next appearance will be Tuesday (10 July) at the IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in Lausanne. The runners-up position yesterday went to another Cuban Lisvany Pérez who cleared 2.27m. Moya’s performance was carefully witnessed by his countryman and current World record holder for the event (2.45m) Javier Sotomayor.
Menendez and Calatayud doubtful for Rio
But not everything was good news for the top Cubans competing in Alcalá.
World Javelin Throw champion and record holder Osleidys Menendez was defeated by her compatriot Sonia Bisset by over two metres, with 62.66m and 60.43 their respective releases. It was only Menendez’s second outing of the season – previously she threw 58.98 in Caracas last 11 May – and she expressed serious doubts about her presence at the Pan-American Games.
“I have been injured for most of the time since last September and my form is far from ideal. I’ll decide in the next days whether I will compete or not in Rio de Janeiro”.
Reportedly World 800m record holder Zulia Calatayud has not made the trip to Europe with the rest of the Cuban squad and remains in Cuba after sustaining injuries which have prevented her competing so far this season.
In other events Misleidys González beat Olympic Shot champion Yumileidi Cumba with respective heaves of 18.91 and 18.81, the latter performance being a SB for Cumba who has been defeated by Gonzalez up to three times recently – Bilbao 23 June, Rivas 29 June, Alcalá 7 July.
David Giralt’s took the men’s Triple Jump with a 16.96m leap, Anay Tejada clinched the win in the women’s 100m Hurdles with a 12.92 (+1.7) clocking while Roxana Tejada took the flat 100m event in 11.35 (+1.2).
The men’s 110m Hurdles went to Cuba’s Yoel Hernández (13.49, -0.6), and the 400m Hurdles was taken by Panama’s Bayano Kamani (50.13).
Emeterio Valiente for the IAAF
