World Championships Tokyo, Mattia Furlani gold in the long jump
First gold for Italy at the World Athletics Championships being held in Tokyo. Mattia Furlani became world champion in the long jump with a measurement of 8.39, achieved on the fifth and penultimate attempt.
The 20-year-old born in Marino, in the province of Rome, thus improves himself after the Olympic bronze won last year in Paris and grants the rainbow encore after winning the indoor title in Nanjing last winter with the measure of 8.30. For Italy, it is also the first world title in the men’s long run.
Silver went to Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle (8.34), bronze to China’s Yuhao Shi (8.33). The 8.39 jumped by Furlani is his personal best, which confirms how the very young Italian, who becomes the youngest world champion in history in this event by beating Carl Lewis, who won the long jump rainbow at age 22 in 1983, is able to perform at his best on big occasions.
The two blue men in the triple, without any particular problems and with the impression that they could play it safe in the final. One jump was enough for Andrea Dallavalle, who landed at 17.08 (+0.6), just two centimeters short of the 17.10 required for direct qualification.
“I showed up here with good feelings – Dallavalle tells the Fidal website – and the goal of making as few jumps as possible was achieved. Something more will be needed in the finals, but I have nothing to lose. This year despite the injury I kept calm, I knew the most important race was at the end of the year and I recovered well.”
Andy Diaz also did well, although he didn’t close the practice immediately: null on the first attempt, going well over 17 meters, and then second jump at 16.94 (+0.6) conceding 28.9 centimeters, so in full safety, then he decided to stop.
“Qualifying is the most difficult thing, however, we are calm and see each other in the finals, everything will be different. On the first jump I didn’t want to make a mistake and I made a mistake, I also stopped but bounced pretty well, then the second one was enough,” Diaz said.
