The outstanding Venezuelan jumper Yulimar Rojas won the gold in the Women’s Triple Jump (Athletics) event of the Tokyo 2020 (in 2021) Olympic Games at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium with a massive distance of 15.67.
After breaking an Olympic record with her first jump, Rojas fouled on her penultimate effort before breaking the world record with a dramatic final go at it.
“I am lost for words, I can’t describe this feeling and this moment. Gold medal winner, with an Olympic record, and a world record. Wow. It is a fantastic night,” said Rojas, who became the first Venezuelan woman to win am Olympic gold medal.
“I was looking for it [the record], I knew we had that distance in my legs to get it today,” she added after adding gold to her silver medal from the Rio 2016 Games. “I was failing a bit in the technical aspect, but the last jump was one to give everything, and it was like that.”
“I focused on giving my best, enjoying, and it came out,” Rojas went on, elated by her efforts and achievement. “It makes me happy. I have to enjoy it now, and live the experience.”
The record, which was held by Ukrainian Inessa Kravets since 1995, was always under threat from the outset of the event. And Rojas fairly blew away the previous world-best of 15.50 with her massive final jump.
Rojas already had the gold medal locked up from early in the evening when she broke a previous Olympic record (15.39) that had stood since the Beijing Games of 2008 (held by Françoise Mbango of Cameroon).
The night’s other winners in the women’s triple jump event were Portugal’s Patricia Mamona, who jumped an impressive 15.01 and Ana Peleteiro (14.87).
