Greek athlete Miltiadis Tentoglou won the gold medal in the men’s long jump at the World Championships in Budapest. In a thrilling last-round performance, Tentoglou’s final leap of 8.52 meters secured him the victory, narrowly beating Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock by a margin of two centimeters.
Tentoglou is no stranger to dramatic finishes. He also won Olympic gold in Tokyo with his final jump, despite being out of medal contention after five rounds. However, he experienced a reversal of fortune at the Eugene Championships last year, where he was leading after five rounds but was overtaken by China’s Wang Jianan, settling for silver.
The final in Budapest started off strongly for Tentoglou, as he achieved a season’s best jump of 8.50 meters in his opening attempt. Pinnock matched this distance in the second round, putting him in the lead due to a better second jump by one centimeter. However, Tentoglou saved his best for last and delivered a perfect jump in the final round, surpassing Pinnock’s distance. Pinnock was unable to improve on his final attempt, securing Tentoglou’s victory.
Reflecting on the competition, Tentoglou described it as one of the toughest he has ever participated in. He admitted feeling discomfort in his legs after the third jump, causing a delay in his final leap. However, after confirming that he was pain-free, he went for it and achieved the winning jump.
Pinnock, although stunned by the turnaround, found solace in his silver medal and expressed his admiration for Tentoglou’s abilities. He acknowledged that he knew Tentoglou was capable of such performances but didn’t expect it to happen at that moment. Pinnock also credited Tentoglou as a source of motivation for his own athletic journey.
Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle secured the bronze medal with a final jump of 8.27 meters, tying with his compatriot Carey McLeod but winning on countback. McLeod had a frightening moment during his third jump when he slipped on takeoff and landed face-first in the pit. Fortunately, he escaped injury.
In conclusion, Miltiadis Tentoglou’s last-round heroics secured him the gold medal in the men’s long jump at the World Championships. His ability to deliver under pressure has become a trademark of his performances, as demonstrated by his Olympic and World Championship victories.
