Rojas collects third straight triple jump world title

EUGENE, Ore., (Reuters) – Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas underlined her status as queen of the triple jump yesterday after the Olympic champion jumped 15.47 metres to win a third straight world title.

Jamaican Shanieka Ricketts collected her second consecutive world silver with a best of 14.89m on the first try, leaping from the sand on her final attempt and running to the stands to hug her supporters.

American Tori Franklin took bronze, the United States’ first world medal in the women’s event.

Rojas, who bettered her own world record in March with 15.74m and is the first woman to win the triple jump outdoor championship three times, smiled broadly as the Venezuelan national anthem played at Hayward Field.

Rojas has set a goal to breach the 16m mark but after whipping up the crowd for her final attempt yesterday she finished well short.