TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela jumped 15.67 metres on Sunday to smash the world record in the women’s triple jump with her final attempt, having already secured the gold medal.
The previous record of 15.50m was set by Ukraine’s Inessa Kravets in 1995 in Sweden.
“I was looking for it, I knew we had that distance in my legs to get it today. I was failing a bit in the technical aspect but the last jump was one to give everything, and it was like that,” she said.
“I focused on giving my best, enjoying, and it came out.”
The win made Rojas Venezuela’s first woman Olympic champion.
Patricia Mamona of Portugal won silver with 15.01m, a national record. The bronze went to Spain’s Ana Peleteiro, who also broke the national record with 14.87.
Reporting by Omar Mohammed; Editing by Hugh Lawson, John Stonestreet and Clare Fallon
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