Tatyana Chernova of Russia in the Heptathlon Long Jump (© Getty Images)
Daegu, Korea - Defending champion Jessica Ennis went into the final day knowing she required something above and beyond in the first two events of the Long Jump and Javelin Throw if she was to withstand the expected onslaught from the Russian who was 151 points adrift of her in silver medal position overnight, Tatyana Chernova.
After jumping what was then a season’s best of 6.44 at last month’s national trials, Ennis had commented: “I’ve been working on some things in the long jump and I feel that’s improving so I’m glad to have had that jump. Hopefully I can put a little bit more on it come Daegu.”
She was as good as her word here as she equalled her personal best of 6.51 in response to a 6.61 effort from Chernova which won her this event. That was enough for the Briton to maintain the overall lead, although it had been trimmed by 33 points, as she totalled 5088 to the Russian’s 4970.
Ennis’s total was also her best after five of the seven events in any competition, comparing with 5065 when she won the European title in Barcelona last year, and 5064 en route to winning this title in Berlin in 2009.
But it was also the best-ever five-event score from her 23-year-old rival…
Hyleas Fountain of the United States established a first round lead with 6.45. She was unable to improve upon that, but earned sufficient points to push herself back into the medal positions with a total of 4878, one place ahead of Poland’s Karolina Tyminska, who jumped 6.39, one centimetre more than Russia’s Anna Bogdanova, who stands seventh overall with 4702.
Berlin silver medallist Jennifer Oeser, who jumped 6.28, is one place above her with 4728, and Ukraine’s Olympic champion Natallia Dobrynska – who had a best of 6.18 - stands fifth with 4773.
Chernova, jumping one place before Ennis, recorded 6.38 with her opening effort, but the replays showed her take-off foot was well back from the board. Plenty to spare.
Ennis looked set with concentration before her first effort, with her coach Toni Minichiello – wearing sunglasses and a white floppy hat in another morning of muggy heat – was looking on ruminatively, with arms folded. It was 6.27 - keeping her main rival within range, but not really what was required.
Fountain was encouraged by her opening effort, but she needed to do even better if she was to make up the ground she had lost in a disappointing shot put the previous day.
She appeared to have done that with a second jump that looked a lot closer to seven metres than six, only to have the effort disqualified because her foot was over the board by eight and a half centimetres.
On her second attempt, Chernova – far taller than her opponent (1.89m, or 6ft 2 and a half inches, plays 1.65, or 5ft 5in) and far leggier too, solicited the support of the crowd with clapping hands above her head. As they responded, she took off for a big jump that might have been even bigger but for a slight stutter on the final stride before take-off.
Even so, she had improved to 6.61, and as she walked back, breathing out and smoothing her hair, the pressure was on Ennis again. Again, she looked set on the runway.
Right here was the test of a champion. Right here, too, was the response of a champion as she flew out to equal her personal best, falling sideways rather than backwards into the pit to ensure the maximum advantage from her effort.
As she marched back to her position, there was a new bounce to her stride, and a look on her face mingling satisfaction and renewed determination.
Chernova needed a final response, but she was unable to provide one as she again stuttered slightly on the last step and put her toe a couple of centimetres over the line before jumping out to a distance that looked about as long as her previous effort.
Ennis too was unable to better her second round effort, recording 6.30 with her final attempt before leaving the arena with a hopeful smile on her face.
Mike Rowbottom for the IAAF
