2012 Word Indoors: "Better Late than never"! says Yamile Aldama after she wins TJ-Wonderful Surprise! by Larry Eder

Yamile Aldama, 2011 WC TJ, photo by PhotoRun.net

Yaldima Aldama was born 14 August 1972. She is 39 years old, and she is a world class triple jumper. She first competed for Cuba, taking the silver in 1999 at the World Champs in Sevilla, and in 2000, she was 4th in Sydney. She has best in TJ of 15.29m, the High Jump of 1.88m and the long jump of 6.34m. In 2004, she was fifth in the Olympics, and took the silver in the World Indoors, competing for the Sudan in 2004. In 2006, still competing for the Sudan, she finished in the bronze position.

Now a British citizen, Yamile Aldama is one of the more popular athletes, not only as a triple jumper, but a jumper at the advanced age (well, for Jumpers ) of 39! Well, did Yaldima surprise a few observers today, taking the gold medal in the triple jump!

Yamile Aldama of Great Britain jumped 14.10m in the first round. Okay. Then, Olga Rypakova of Kazikstan, the world leader at 14.84m, fouled. Yargeris Savigne of Cuba, dropped a 14.28m, taking a round lead. But, not for long!

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Except, no one told Yamile Aldama, who, in round two, hopped, skipped and jumped to 14.82m, her seasonal best and the lead!

No one came close. It took Olga Rypakova four attempts to get a fair jump, hitting 14.45m to move into the silver position. In round five, Olga jumped 14.63m, and was as close as she would get to Aldama.

Mabel Gay of Cuba took third with her 14.29 meter jump from round 5. Yargeris Savigne, finished fourth, the Cuban relegated out of the medals, an unusual event, her first round jump of 14.28 being her best. Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams, who reached her 14.27m on the final, took fifth. Anna Krylova of Russia was sixth, jumping 14.21m in her second round.

Twitter world in GBR was hot tonight, waxing lovingly on Yamile!

Here is how Yamile saw her medal!

“Better late than never. This is my first world title. Twelve years after winning my silver in Seville. I am happy with the 14.82m, but I could have jumped farther. I had a problem approaching the board in the third round and did not want to risk it as we have the summer season. This gold is for my mom and my children and a great motivation for London.”

Women’s Triple Jump. 1. Yamile Aldama, GBR, 14.82m, 2. Olga Rypakova, KAZ, 14.63m, 3. Mabel Gay, Cuba, 14.29m, 4. Yargeris Savigne, Cuba, 14.28m, 5. Kimberly Williams, JAM, 14.27m, 6. Kimberly Williams, Jamaica, 14.21m

For complete results of 10 March 2012: Day Two, World Indoors 2012

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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