A hat-trick (assured) for Rojas?
She is the star of the triple jump, a discipline she has dominated for several years. For six years, Yulimar Rojas has been crowned Olympic champion (2021), double outdoor world champion (2017 and 2019) and triple indoor world champion (2016, 2018 and 2022). Added to this list is even the world record for the specialty, beaten twice to reach 15.74 m. The proof that the Venezuelan does not intend to stop there.
“I hardly competed this year, but I know how I am, I feel in great physical shape, says the South American. I’m waiting for D-day to give the best. »
While she had made outings to the length, she aspired to double the two disciplines in Eugene, but her dream will not take shape. In question ? Non-compliant shoes used during the competition in Guadalajara where it was thought she had qualified for the single jump.
“It’s not that I didn’t want to follow the rules, but the length shoes hurt my feet, in (the level of) the Achilles tendon. (…) I knew the rules, but if I followed them, I risked feeling this discomfort, so I preserved myself physically. I was hoping we would make an exception,” explained Rojas ahead of the American competition.
Barshim – Tamberi: reunion at the height
The image of their Olympic title shared in Tokyo had made the rounds on social networks a year ago now. On Monday, Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi will meet again on the Hayward Field vault, but under the same circumstances.
Since their golden Japanese evening, their trajectories have diverged: the Qatari, double world title holder, is still in the race, while the Italian is encountering difficulties, with his coach father in particular, from whom he separated at first, before working with him again for the Worlds at the request of the Italian federation.
And it is not his qualification for the final obtained on the wire, with two bars at 2.25 m and 2.28 m passed at the last test, which will have reassured him.
3,000m steeplechase: Girma takes on El Bakkali
Vice-world champion and reigning Olympic vice-champion, the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma set fire to the 3,000m steeplechase this season, with three times in less than 8 minutes in 10 days, between the end of May and the beginning of June, a historical sequence.
He must find a way to get rid of Moroccan Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali and his devastating finish, also capable of maintaining a steady pace since he signed the best performance of the season in Rabat at the beginning of June (7’58”28 ).
The talented but unpredictable French Mehdi Belhadj will seek him to hold the shock for his first major international final at 27 years old.