Triple jumper Hugues Fabrice Zango soars to Burkina Faso’s first-ever world championships gold
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Burkina Faso's Hugues Fabrice Zango competing in the men's triple jump final at the World Athletics Championships on Aug 21.
PHOTO: AFP
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BUDAPEST – Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango soared to victory in the men’s triple jump for the country’s first-ever World Athletics Championships gold on Monday as 18-year-old title favourite Jaydon Hibbert of Jamaica pulled out injured.
“Look at my big, big, big smiling mouth,” Zango said. “It tells you everything. I had so many difficulties and doubts, I have been struggling a lot. I had to travel a very long way to get this gold medal.
“I am proud to be the man who keeps his word. I promised to make history and I did it tonight.”
Zango, ranked No. 2 in the world, jumped 17.64 metres on his fifth of six attempts to overtake Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez, who won silver with 17.41m after fouling on three of his attempts. Martinez edged out teammate Cristian Napoles, who recorded 17.40m.
The world title was the first in triple jump for any African nation, Zango pointed out.
“I cannot imagine the level of celebration in my country when I go back home but I’m going to start the celebrations in Budapest,” he said. “We have some troubles in our country now and it is an incredible mission to bring some positive emotions to them.”
The 30-year-old won his country’s first Olympic medal with bronze in Tokyo. He was the world championships’ silver medallist in 2022 and third in 2019.
Hibbert, who has the best jump in the world this season – 17.87m – ran through the pit on his first attempt and clutched his hamstring.
“I planted my leg on the board and just felt a cramp in my hamstring,” he said. “I do not know why it happened because I felt great and ready during warmup.”
He received treatment but then withdrew, receiving consolatory handshakes from the other jumpers after he tugged off his spikes.
“I had a great season and I’m not disappointed now. I know I could fight for a medal here but the most important thing is that I gained experience at this level,” Hibbert said.
“I need to move on now, focus is on recovery and on next season. I will be OK. I will bounce back.”
There was better news for Olympic champion Daniel Stahl, who won the discus gold with the final throw, just minutes after Kristjan Ceh thought he had done enough to retain his title when his final throw edged him in front of the Swede.
Slovene Ceh led with 69.27m in the second round before Stahl went 10cm further in the fourth.
With only two throwers left to go, Ceh finally crossed the 70m mark with 70.02m but showed only a muted celebration, knowing just what a competitor his rival is.
Sure enough, Stahl launched the disc 71.46m – the second-longest throw of the year and a championship record – to take gold and add to the world title he won in 2019 in Doha.
He said: “I’m very proud of how I handled it. It’s very cool.”
“It’s like I got a bit of ‘sisu’ in me,” added Stahl, using a Finnish word for fighting spirit.
“I’m not going to give up, instead I’m going to get bigger in the moments.” REUTERS
