by Stuart Weir
Yulimar Rojas, photo by Getty Images for World Athletics
Yulimar Rojas, photo by Getty Images for World Athletics
This column on Yulimar Rojas and her incredible World Record, Stuart Weir gave us his live view of the amazing event.
World record for Rojas
With just one track final and some prelims, on the morning of the final day of the World Indoor Championships, it meant that the two field event finals were center stage for most of the morning. They did not disappoint!
There were 16 athletes in the straight-to-final format. The cut came after three rounds with the top eight- anyone on 14.28 or better – remaining in the competition. Sadly the top eight did not include the only Serbian athlete, Jovana Ilic. Only just making the final eight was the Ukrainian, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk – better known as a long-jumper.
Yulimar Rojas opened with15.19. She was the only athlete to achieve15m so held the lead for the duration. Then she came to her final jump, she had already won. She silenced the crowd and went for it. It was big, big, big – 15.74. It was fully a meter further than anyone managed.
Bekh-Romanchuk, profited by her involvement with a big PR of 14.74 to take silver, leaving Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams, who had been in second place throughout, having to settle for third. Bekh-Romanchuk’s 14.74 followeda14.28, 14.07, and three fouls. But she did it when it mattered. Seeing her draped in the Ukrainian flag was a poignant moment.
Rojas’ comments afterward tell you a lot about what makes her the successful athlete she is: “Every day is a big challenge for me and every day I try to become a better person. Not only as an athlete but also as a person – to be stronger technically and also mentally. Coming here, I knew it was the right time to achieve this and I took the chance. I did not want to miss this opportunity today. I have big respect for all my opponents and the hard work they are doing. I try to become a role model for them”.
Comparing herself to the athlete who won in Birmingham four years ago, she said: “Looking back to the 2018, I am the same person but I improved a lot technically and also developed more mental strength. Mental strength is one of my most important characteristics”.
She added that she had two goals for 2022 – to try for a double win in Oregon, long jump, and triple jump, and to take the world record from 15.74, beyond 16 meters.
Like Yaroslava Mahuchikh’s high jump medal yesterday, Bekh-Romanchuk reminded us today that jumping into a sandpit is trivial when your country has been at war. She commented: “I’m overemotional now. It was my first triple jump competition at the international level and I was so lucky to be part of a world record event and to win the silver for my country. I devote this medal to all Ukrainian people, to the Ukrainian armed forces who are defending our country. I could prove today that we are a really strong and unbeatable nation”.
Bronze medalist, Kimberly Williams paid this tribute to the winner: “It was amazing to be part of that competition and see Yulimar do that incredible jump. She’s amazing. She has all the elements and we love it that she’s jumping because we want to be up there in the 15m zone as well. It’s the pinnacle for our event, it’s what everyone wants. Any day Yulimar comes out she’s going to put on a show and it’s up to the rest of us to step up”.
Now remind why the Diamond League thinks the triple jump is boring.
