Miltos Tentoglou came close to victory, proving once again that he is in tremendous competitive form, but a stunning final jump by Tajay Gayle denied him the top spot in the Diamond League long jump final in Brussels.
The Greek champion seemed to have the competition in the palm of his hand. It took him just four jumps to gradually improve his performance and take the lead. He started with 8.07 m, followed by 8.12 m, and on his third jump landed at 8.31 m, reclaiming first place.
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And as if that weren’t enough, Tentoglou “soared” to 8.40 m on his fourth jump, showing that he had laid the groundwork for yet another major victory. With that performance, it seemed he had the “diamond” in the bag.
The competition, however, had an incredible finale in store. Tajay Gayle saved his best performance for last. On his final jump, the Jamaican landed at 8.46 m, and with this astonishing performance, he took the lead, leaving Tentoglou in second place by a mere 6 centimeters!
Thus, in a matter of seconds, the course of the competition changed dramatically. Tentoglou, who had been the clear favorite to win, found himself in second place in one of the most thrilling finals of this season.
It’s worth noting, in fact, that the conditions in Brussels were anything but easy. The track was wet, making it significantly harder for the athletes. Nevertheless, the Greek Olympic champion managed to deliver yet another outstanding performance and confirm his exceptional form.
Tentoglou’s performance this year remains impressive. The Greek jumper has cleared 8.40 m in nine competitions, has recorded four jumps over 8.60 m, and has reached 8.66 m, a performance that sets a new personal best and ties the Greek national record.
In Brussels, then, Tentoglou was unable to add another victory to his collection this time around, but he left the competition with a performance that confirms he is in tremendous form. The “diamond” ultimately went to Gay, who snatched it right out of the Greek champion’s hands on the final jump, in a finale that will be hard to forget.
*photo source: AP
