 Cannot play media. Sorry, this media is not available in your territory. Video - Saladino claims long jump gold Red-hot favourite Irving Saladino captured long jump gold at the Beijing Games and Panama's first Olympic track and field title. The 25-year-old, who jumped 8.73 metres to leap to the world number one spot earlier this season, landed just 8.34m in his fourth attempt to take gold. South African Khotso Mokoenaak clinched silver with 8.24m while Cuba's Ibrahim Camejo's leap of 8.20m earned bronze. Britain's Greg Rutherford finished down in 10th with a best of 7.84m. The 21-year-old had gone into the final with hopes of a medal but after a no-jump and an aborted jump that was measured at 5.20m, it was all Rutherford could do to land a clean jump. "All day I was thinking about the possibility of being the first British athletics medal at this Olympics and I knew I was capable of doing it," he said afterwards. "I could feel the pressure a lot and I thought I could deal with it. It's a wasted opportunity."  | 606: DEBATE |
Saladino was undoubtedly under pressure himself as he went into the final as the overwhelming favourite after landing a huge leap of 8.73m in May. Four years ago in Athens, Saladino failed to get progress beyond qualifying and the omens looked ominous when he fouled his first jump in the final. But the reigning world champion pulled out jumps of 8.17m and 8.21m to get back on track before nailing his winning jump. Camejo left it late to snatch bronze but his final effort reached 8.20m - enough to push out Zimbabwe's Ngonidzashe Makusha and Cuban Wilfredo Martinez by one centimetre. Britain's Chris Tomlinson, who finished fifth at the Athens Games, came to Beijing carrying an injury and failed to qualify for the final.
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?