By Mitch Phillips
EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – Wang Jianan of China produced a last-round leap of 8.36 metres to snatch World Championships long jump gold on Saturday after Tentoglou Miltiadis of Greece looked to be cruising to victory.
Wang had managed a best of only 8.03m in his first five attempts and was out of the medals but soared clear.
Miltiadis was on course to complete the full house of major titles after previously winning the Olympics, the indoor world title and the European indoor and outdoor titles.
His fifth-round jump of 8.32m looked to be good enough for gold and his second, third and fourth-best leaps of 8.30m, 8.29m and 8.24m were all better than anyone else in the field could manage until Wang’s intervention.
Instead he had to settle for silver, with Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer, who came to Eugene with a world lead 8.45m to his name after temporarily switching from decathlon, taking bronze with 8.16m.
Jamaica’s injury-hit defending champion Tajay Gayle failed to make the final after posting three fouls in Friday’s qualifying.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Peter Rutherford)
