Tatyana Chernova long jumps to 6.78m in the Hypo Meeting title in Götzis (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Tatyana Chernova has emerged as one of the biggest favourites to win the women’s Heptathlon Olympic gold medal in Beijing, China, following her win in the 34th edition of the Hypo Meeting in Götzis, Austria (1 June), ahead of a star-studded field in what is acknowledged as the best combined events meeting in the world.
Chernova, the reigning World junior champion from Beijing 2006, scored a total of 6618 points in Götzis. The 20-year-old Russian, who was ninth after the first day, remarkably bounced back at the start of day two by leaping to an impressive 6.78 PB in the Long Jump which moved her into fourth place.
In the following Javelin Throw she speared a great 53.51m in what she considers to be her strongest event. The javelin result moved her to the top of the overall ranking by just two points ahead of World Championships silver medallist Lyudmila Blonska from the Ukraine. A dramatic last event, the 800 metres then took place with Chernova clinching the win by finishing first in her heat in 2:12.11.
“I did not expect to jump so far. My PB in the Long Jump was a big surprise but I knew that I am able to produce these performances. I worked hard during the winter to improve my rhythm in the 800 metres”, said Chernova after the competition.
Her 6618 total from Götzis, a new world seasonal leading score, is a new lifetime best. She totalled 6768 points in Arles last year but this result could not be ratified as a World junior record because of the very windy conditions in the southern French meeting.
Wide open title
Since the decision of Heptathlon queen Carolina Klüft not to defend the Olympic title in Beijing, the seven-event competition has become wide-open with many athletes able to challenge for gold in the Beijing ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium.
“The win in Götzis makes me sure that I will compete in Beijing. It showed that I have the potential to battle against the best specialists in the world. I am aiming at my best ever result at the Olympic Games.”
Götzis was a crucial competition for Russian combined events specialists aiming at booking their tickets for the Olympic Games. The Russian Athletics Federation has confirmed that the first two athletes from the Hypo Meeting and the winner of the National Championships in July will make the Russian team for the Olympic Games.
“In Russia there are many combined events athletes who can take part in the Olympic Games. Despite the rivalry there is a good spirit in the team. We are all friends,” explained Chernova.
Chernova has fantastic memories of Beijing. It was in the Chinese capital that she won the World junior title with 6227 points, the best junior score in women’s Heptathlon since Carolina Klüft’s World Junior record set in Munich 2002 at the senior European Championships.
Family tradition
Should she medal in Beijing she would become the second member of her family to win an Olympic medal as her mother Lyudmila was part of the 4x400m relay gold medal squad in Moscow 1980. Her father Sergey, who competed in Decathlon, was her first coach when she was ten years old. Tatyana’s younger brother is a hurdler.
During the award ceremony at the Hypo Meeting the famous song “We are the Champions” by the Queen sounded out in the Mösle Stadium, the small athletics facility in the Austrian Voralberg region known as the “mecca of combined events.” Appropriately, it is the favourite song of Tatyana Chernova, an outgoing girl with many extra-sport interests.
“I have a passion for computer technology, drawing and fast cars. I love spending my spare time driving my Mitsubishi car”, concluded Chernova.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
