Tamgho seals record jump
Source: Agencies |
March 16, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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AT 20, Teddy Tamgho already was something of a triple jump historian. Now, he is part of it.
The Frenchman set a world record of 17.90 meters to win the world indoor championships in his spectacular last jump of the last event of the three-day competition in Doha, Qatar.
He turned silver into gold and overcame Yoandris Betanzos, whose 17.69 gave him silver. Another Cuban, Arnie David Girat, took bronze.
"If I can do this at 20, I can do so much better as I get older," Tamgho said.
The old mark of 17.83 was shared by Christian Olsson of Sweden and Cuba's Aliecer Urrutia. Surely Tamgho had no doubt about that.
He knows the discipline by heart, not only on track but also from the books.
With all that knowledge, he sensed he was predestined.
"I knew I would become world champion. I kept it too myself and waited for this time," he said.
The record came as an extra. As soon as the Frenchman realized it, he raced across the Aspire Dome, jumped the perimeter fence and embraced his mother Alice in the stands. Draped in a French flag, he jogged a victory lap, screaming to the cheering crowds.
"My objective was not the record. It was too win," he said.
Olsson, who finished fourth after dropping out with a sore Achilles, welcomed Tamgho's effort.
"I mean he did amazing jumping today," Olsson said. "World records are meant to be broken and it's good for the sport to keep breaking the triple jump world record no doubt. So good on him."
After winning the world junior title in 2008, no one had doubted his talent. But some questioned his competitive mettle as he failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, bombed at the European indoor championships last year in Turin.
"I heard a lot of things and received a lot of criticism," he said.
Now, Tamgho has his sights on the outdoor world record of 18.29 held by Britain's Jonathan Edwards.
"Maybe it's the world record but only two people jumped 18 meters," he said.
Ever the student, he knows Kenny Harrison of the United States jumped 18.09.
The Frenchman set a world record of 17.90 meters to win the world indoor championships in his spectacular last jump of the last event of the three-day competition in Doha, Qatar.
He turned silver into gold and overcame Yoandris Betanzos, whose 17.69 gave him silver. Another Cuban, Arnie David Girat, took bronze.
"If I can do this at 20, I can do so much better as I get older," Tamgho said.
The old mark of 17.83 was shared by Christian Olsson of Sweden and Cuba's Aliecer Urrutia. Surely Tamgho had no doubt about that.
He knows the discipline by heart, not only on track but also from the books.
With all that knowledge, he sensed he was predestined.
"I knew I would become world champion. I kept it too myself and waited for this time," he said.
The record came as an extra. As soon as the Frenchman realized it, he raced across the Aspire Dome, jumped the perimeter fence and embraced his mother Alice in the stands. Draped in a French flag, he jogged a victory lap, screaming to the cheering crowds.
"My objective was not the record. It was too win," he said.
Olsson, who finished fourth after dropping out with a sore Achilles, welcomed Tamgho's effort.
"I mean he did amazing jumping today," Olsson said. "World records are meant to be broken and it's good for the sport to keep breaking the triple jump world record no doubt. So good on him."
After winning the world junior title in 2008, no one had doubted his talent. But some questioned his competitive mettle as he failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, bombed at the European indoor championships last year in Turin.
"I heard a lot of things and received a lot of criticism," he said.
Now, Tamgho has his sights on the outdoor world record of 18.29 held by Britain's Jonathan Edwards.
"Maybe it's the world record but only two people jumped 18 meters," he said.
Ever the student, he knows Kenny Harrison of the United States jumped 18.09.
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