by Larry Eder
Teddy Tamgho came back in style in Moscow on the last day of the world championships, when, having already won the triple jump title, he jumped 18.04 meters!
Teddy Tamgho, ready to fly,
photo by PhotoRun.net
The jump was not only the longest jump in seventeen years, but Tamgho became only the third performer over 18 meters! This put Tamgho, the bad boy of French athletics, back on the global map.
Observers of athletics know Tamgho: he set the world indoor record in 2010, and played with 18 meters for a year. But, since the European Indoor Championships in 2011, Tamgho has had injury problems and some legal issues, which were covered, not only in French newspapers, but the global athletics media.
Teddy Tamgho, jumping 18.04 meters,
photo by PhotoRun.net
The truth, is this: if Teddy Tamgho can stay motivated and focused, the young, talented French jumper can challenge the world record. Tamgho is very articulate, and knows what he has to do. As a child, Teddy Tamgho had a tough life, right out of a soap opera or crime novel. Tamgho knows what he has to do.
My bet? Watch a healthy Teddy Tamgho in 2014 take a real shot at Jonathan Edward’s Triple jump world records. That, as many know, does not mean that Teddy Tamgho will get it, but the Frenchman, with the Americans, Christian Taylor and Will Claye, look like the three who could give it a real challenge.
Teddy Tamgho, gold tastes the best,
photo by PhotoRun.net
The Triple jump, is as, some have observed, a difficult technical event. Tamgho has great form. If he can increase his speed, and still control that speed, the triple jump record could be challenged.
PARIS (FRA): World Triple Jump Champion Teddy Tamgho of France says that he must “improve a lot of things” in order for him to challenge Jonathan Edwards’ world record of 18.29, reports france24.com. “Specifically, I have to work on my run up and final jump. During my last jump in Moscow, I didn’t run at 100 percent” said the 24 year old who took gold in Moscow with a jump of 18.04 (0.3). Tamgho added, „The key to a good jump is speed. It’s that component that I didn’t use to 100 percent in Moscow. To go very, very far, you have to hit the board at top speed”. Tamgho says that his main goals are the world record and an Olympic title. Tamgho admits that he hasn’t done much training since the Moscow final.
