Yargelis Savigne of Cuba celebrates retaining her World Championship title in the women's Triple Jump final at the 12th IAAF World Championship in Athletics (© Getty Images)
Yargelis Savigne was a heavy favourite to successfully defend her Triple Jump title, and the 24-year-old Cuban didn’t disappoint.
While the event wasn’t as competitive as in recent years, Savigne still managed to make it respectable with a fifth round leap of 14.95m to become just the second woman to take back-to back titles in the event. Despite her effort, her’s was still the first winning leap in a decade to not broach the 15 metre line.
Arriving in the German capital undefeated in 10 competitions and armed with nine of the season’s 10 farthest jumps – none of her competitors have jumped with 30cm of her 15.00m season’s best – Savigne predictably felt little pressure. The little briefly flew her way came from her compatriot Mabel Gay, the former World youth and junior champion, who scored a mild upset with her silver medal performance with 14.61, a season’s best.
After taking the lead with a 14.45m opening round leap, Savigne was briefly headed by Gay, who took the lead with a 14.50m leap in the second. But Savigne took firm control from round three onwards, with leaps of 14.89m, 14.85m, and her winning 14.95, before calling it a night with her 14.39m.
“At the beginning I lacked coordination and was really nervous, but I told myself to stay focused on the result,” said Savigne, who dedicated her victory to her family, particularly her grandmother who passed away recently.
Gay improved to 14.61m in the fourth round, a leap which eventually held up for second ahead of Russian Anna Pyatykh, whose 14.58m in the same round was enough for bronze, her second straight.
“I’m delighted,” said Gay, who threatened her 14.66 career best from 2007. “I didn’t expect to do so well in the final.”
Serbia’s Biljana Topic, improved to 14.52, a national record, to finish fourth, ahead of Jamaican Trecia Smith, the 2005 World champion, whose 14.48m was a season’s best.
Russian Tatyana Lebedeva, the winner in 2001 and 2003, was a distant sixth, managing just 14.37m. “I hoped to compete well because of my experience,” said Lebedeva, who recently suffered an injury setback in Stockholm. “But I guess I was hoping for a miracle.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
While the event wasn’t as competitive as in recent years, Savigne still managed to make it respectable with a fifth round leap of 14.95m to become just the second woman to take back-to back titles in the event. Despite her effort, her’s was still the first winning leap in a decade to not broach the 15 metre line.
Arriving in the German capital undefeated in 10 competitions and armed with nine of the season’s 10 farthest jumps – none of her competitors have jumped with 30cm of her 15.00m season’s best – Savigne predictably felt little pressure. The little briefly flew her way came from her compatriot Mabel Gay, the former World youth and junior champion, who scored a mild upset with her silver medal performance with 14.61, a season’s best.
After taking the lead with a 14.45m opening round leap, Savigne was briefly headed by Gay, who took the lead with a 14.50m leap in the second. But Savigne took firm control from round three onwards, with leaps of 14.89m, 14.85m, and her winning 14.95, before calling it a night with her 14.39m.
“At the beginning I lacked coordination and was really nervous, but I told myself to stay focused on the result,” said Savigne, who dedicated her victory to her family, particularly her grandmother who passed away recently.
Gay improved to 14.61m in the fourth round, a leap which eventually held up for second ahead of Russian Anna Pyatykh, whose 14.58m in the same round was enough for bronze, her second straight.
“I’m delighted,” said Gay, who threatened her 14.66 career best from 2007. “I didn’t expect to do so well in the final.”
Serbia’s Biljana Topic, improved to 14.52, a national record, to finish fourth, ahead of Jamaican Trecia Smith, the 2005 World champion, whose 14.48m was a season’s best.
Russian Tatyana Lebedeva, the winner in 2001 and 2003, was a distant sixth, managing just 14.37m. “I hoped to compete well because of my experience,” said Lebedeva, who recently suffered an injury setback in Stockholm. “But I guess I was hoping for a miracle.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
