Caterine Ibarguen Wins Colombia’s First-Ever Olympic Gold In Track And Field With Triple Jump Win

Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia won the triple jump in Rio di Janeiro on Sunday, leaping 15.17 meters (49 feet, 9 ¼ inches) on her fourth attempt, to win her country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics.

Caterine Ibarguen Wins Colombia’s First-Ever Olympic Gold In Track And Field With Triple Jump Win

The 32-year-old, who entered the Rio Games as the heavy favorite for gold, took silver at the London 2012 Olympics.

On Sunday, it was Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, 20, the reigning indoor world champion, who won silver with her best jump of 14.98.

Kazakhstan’s Olga Rypakova, the 2012 Olympic winner, finished third with her best personal record of the year with a jump of 14.74 on her fifth attempt.

Ibarguen, who holds a best personal record of 15.31, achieved on July 18, 2014, would have to make a jump that exceeds 15.50 meters in order to break Ukrainian Inessa Kravets’s world record of 15.50m set in 1995.

“It’s the biggest dream to achieve this,” said Ibarguen. “I’m very happy and proud to represent my country. I’m so happy to be the first Colombian to win in the triple jump.”

Her gold medal was Colombia’s second of the Rio 2016 Olympics, after Oscar Figueroa’s weightlifting win. Colombian Yuberjen Martinez won silver in the men’s lightweight boxing early Monday, making these Games the best in the country’s sports history.

Ibarguen soared past 15 meters twice and was in total control after making her fourth-round leap. Rojas also made history by becoming the first Venezuelan woman to win an Olympic athletics medal and the youngest female winner of an Olympic triple jump medal.

“This is very significant for both of us,” said Rojas of her and Ibarguen. “I feel this is a high point for South American athletics and that there will be yet more outstanding results.”

Rojas then went on to praise Ibarguen alone, adding:

“Caterine was a tremendous competitor and I’m very happy for her. I knew it would take a lot of work and effort, but I just had to concentrate on myself. We did everything possible to be here and I’m extremely happy with this new accomplishment. I dedicate this medal to the people of Venezuela.”

American Keturah Orji, 20, a student-athlete for the University of Georgia, finished fourth. Her best mark, 14.71m (48-3¼), broke the American record.

The men’s triple jump will begin Monday morning. American Christian Taylor is the defending Olympic champion.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 14: Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia celebates placing first in the Women’s Triple Jump final on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena