Caterine Ibarguen
Triple jump world champion Caterine Ibarguen leapt to fifth on the world all-time list last year with her stunning jump of 15.31m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
Here the Colombian, who also won the 2014 Diamond Race in her event, offers her take on some aspects of her life.
My best achievement in athletics
For sure, it was my silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012 (Ibarguen jumped 14.80m to finish 18cm behind Kazakhstan’s gold medallist Olga Rypakova). Winning a medal at the Olympic Games has always been my biggest dream.
My greatest disappointment
This is also my silver medal at the London Olympics. I worked so hard for it yet I was dreaming of the gold medal in London.
My greatest rival
It is me, because I always want to get the best out of myself and to better myself.
My best friend in athletics
Eliecit Palacios, the sprinter from Colombia and 2012 Olympian, because we have been together since we started out on our athletics career many years ago.
The best piece of advice
The best advice was from my coach (Ubaldo Duany, from Cuba) who suggested I change disciplines from the high jump to the triple jump. This move has changed my whole life. Now we are writing history for my country Colombia.
The best track venue
I love the track in Monaco because this is the place where I jumped my personal best of 15.31m last year. (Ibarguen also won in her only other appearance in Monaco, jumping 14.85m in 2012).
The best athlete I have ever seen
Sanya Richards-Ross (2012 Olympic 400m gold medallist) of the USA for me is not only a great athlete, but she is also very humble and down-to-earth.
My biggest regret
I don’t have any regrets because you learn from everything you do and learn from your mistakes. It’s all about learning in athletics.
My greatest achievement outside of athletics
I am proud of my university degree, I studied nursing in Puerto Rico.
Steve Landells for the IAAF
