ISTANBUL, Turkey (March 5, 2023) – Jazmin Sawyers of Great Britain jumped 7.00m to win the Women’s Long Jump title at the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships held at the Ataköy Arena on Sunday, securing the victory on the final day of the championships in Istanbul. Malaika Mihambo was left stunned after failing to make the podium.
Sawyers Takes Women’s Long Jump Title with Stunning 7.00m Leap
Sawyers had a best mark of 6.76m entering the penultimate round of the competition and was trailing the leaders. – Read more: Miltiadis Tentoglou wins 3rd straight European Indoor long jump gold
However, she found her form in the fifth round, jumping 7.00m to take the lead. None of her rivals were able to answer, leaving her as the champion.
“I am still a little bit in shock,” she said after the event. “I have been trying it for years and I could not jump 7 meters. And today, it was not even in the back of my mind.
“When it happened, I was like: I do not know what it is but please, be enough. I have had a couple of faults and actually I thought, it could be a good fault. But seven meters, it is weird.
Larissa Iapichino of Italy, the European Junior champion in 2019, also jumped 6.97m in the final round to set a national record. The 20-year-old matched her personal best by jumping 6.91m in the fifth round.
“It was crazy from the beginning and the competition was very open,” said Iapichino. “It was beautiful jumping with these girls and doing my best.
“I got a silver medal and I just cannot believe it, I am only twenty. Great start of the carreer. I do not know what is happening in my head right now, I am so emotional.”
Ivana Vuleta of Serbia, a three-time European Indoor champion, and two-time World Indoor gold medalist, won the bronze medal with a mark of 6.91m. She also jumped 6.90m in the sixth round.
No Medals For Malaika Mihambo
Malaika Mihambo, the world and Olympic champion from Germany, failed to make the podium after only managing to jump 6.81m.
The 29-year-old missed getting a mark on three of her six attempts.
READ MORE: Samuele Ceccarelli upsets Lamont Jacobs in Istanbul
Joseph Jason Dominates Men’s 60m Hurdles to Win Switzerland’s First Gold
In the Men’s 60m Hurdles, Jason Joseph won Switzerland’s first-ever gold medal in the event at the European Athletics Indoor Championships.
The 24-year-old dominated the field, posting a European leading time of 7.41 seconds to clinch the title, clocking the joint second fastest-time on the European all-time list.
Jakub Szymanski of Poland landed the silver medal in 7.56 seconds, while Just Kwaou-Mathey of France got the bronze in 7.59. Kwaou-Mathey had previously won the 110m Hurdles European bronze medal in 2022.
Finnish Hurdler Reetta Hurske Equals National Record to Secure Women’s 60m Hurdles Gold
In the Women’s 60m Hurdles, Finland’s Reetta Hurske raced away from the field to equal her national record with 7.79 seconds, securing the gold medal.
Two-time European Indoor champion Nadine Visser of The Netherlands took the silver in a season-best time of 7.84 seconds, while Swiss star Ditaji Kambundji claimed the bronze with 7.91 seconds.
Miranda Mitchell Reporting from Istanbul, Turkey for New Media Wire.
