Atheltics Weekly

IAAF WORLD CHAMPS 2017
CLASSIC CLASH ON THE CARDS
LONG JUMP
IF THE event is anywhere as
exciting as last year’s Olympic
final, we’re in for a treat. Tianna
Bartoletta won gold on that
occasion from fellow American
Brittney Reese with Serbian
Tianna Bartoletta:
Olympic gold
medallist
EVER since the London
Olympic in 2012, Caterine
Ibarguen has ruled the world
of women’s triple jump. The
Colombian finished second
in those Games but went on
to win world titles in Moscow
and Beijing, plus the Olympic
crown in Rio.
The 33-year-old also
enjoyed an unbeaten run from
the London Olympics up until
partway through 2016 when
her winning streak was ended
by Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela.
Only 21 years of age,
Rojas won silver in Rio behind
Ibarguen and has gone on
to jump the best mark in the
world this year going into
London – 14.96m.
Ivana Spanovic third – with all
three breaking the seven-metre
barrier – and the same trio face
each other again in London.
The British Olympians from
Rio – Jazmin Sawyers, Lorraine
Ugen and Shara Proctor – take
to the runway again as well in
what promises to be a terrific
event full of home interest.
Proctor has not been in great
form this year, but on her day
has the ability to win a medal,
as she showed when she took
silver in Beijing two years ago
with a UK record of 7.07m.
Sawyers, meanwhile, is keen
to improve on her eighth place
in Rio 12 months ago, whereas
Ugen has won European indoor
silver and British Champs gold
this year, in addition to setting a
UK indoor record of 6.97m.
Spanovic won the Euro
In addition Rojas has beaten
Ibarguen on the Diamond
League circuit in Rome,
although Ibarguen got revenge
with victory in Monaco.
indoor title with a huge 7.24m.
But it will be the Americans who
are the ones to beat in London
with Bartoletta not only the
reigning Olympic champion but
two-time and reigning world
gold medallist. Her team-mate,
Reese, the 2012 Olympic and
Ibarguen has experience
on her side and a great
championship temperament
but she has also struggled with
injury lately, while Rojas seems
to have more momentum right
now.
So it looks like being a
battle of the South American
rivals in London. But don’t
count out Olga Rypakova of
Kazakhstan.
The former heptathlete
beat Ibarguen at the London
Olympics five years ago and
took the silver and bronze
medals at the 2008 and 2016
Olympics respectively.
Behind the big three
favourites, other contenders
will include Nubia Soares of
Brazil, Kimberly Williams of
Jamaica, Liadagmis Povea of
Event statistics
World record: 7.52m Galina
Chistyakova (RUS)
Champs record: 7.36m Jackie
Joyner-Kersee (USA)
Defending champion: Tianna
Bartoletta (USA)
British interest: Shara Proctor,
Jazmin Sawyers, Lorraine Ugen
AW prediction: 1 Spanovic (SRB);
2 Reese (USA); 3 Bartoletta (USA)
History: Brittney Reese won three
successive golds between 2009 and
2013 and Tianna Bartoletta, who
won in 2005 and 2015, could join
her as a three-time champion.
three-time world champion, is
also sure to be in the mix. For
the best of the rest, look out
for Claudia Salman-Rath of
Germany, Christabel Nettey of
Canada and Darya Klishina of
Russia, who is competing under
a neutral flag. JH
SOUTH AMERICANS TO BATTLE IT OUT
TRIPLE JUMP
Caterine
Ibarguen:
faces test from
Yulimar Rojas
Ivana Spanovic:
European indoor
champion
Event statistics
World record: 15.50m Inessa
Kravets (UKR)
Champs record: 15.50m Inessa
Kravets (UKR)
Defending champion: Caterine
Ibarguen (COL)
British interest: None
AW prediction: 1 Ibarguen (COL);
2 Rojas (VEN); 3 Rypakova (KAZ)
History: Three athletes have won
double gold – Russian Tatyana
Lebedeva, Cuban Yargelis Savigne
and Ibarguen – who bids for a third
gold in London.
Cuba and Patricia Mamona of
Portugal.
Soares, especially, will
be a danger as she beat
Rojas at the South American
Championships in Paraguay
in June with a wind-assisted
14.42m. JH
4 8 A T H L E T I C S W E E K L Y