Oregon Ducks’ Emmanuel Ihemeje goes ‘LOBO,’ takes 5th in men’s triple jump at World Athletics Championships

EUGENE — In his first world championship and second main worldwide competitors, Oregon Geese triple jumper Emmanuel Ihemeje confirmed he might maintain his personal on the world stage.

The 2021 NCAA out of doors champion, Ihemeje jumped 56 ft, 4 inches to complete fifth within the males’s triple leap on the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Area on Saturday evening.

Ihemeje, 23, was the one competitor to enhance his distance over the ultimate three makes an attempt and completed with a private greatest for out of doors jumps (albeit wind-aided), narrowly behind fellow Italian Andrea Dallavalle (56-7¾).

It was an enormous enchancment from Ihemeje’s Eleventh-place end eventually 12 months’s Tokyo Olympics.

“We name it LOBO right here in Oregon: final one, greatest one,” Ihemeje mentioned. “Loads of positivity in contrast from final 12 months in Tokyo. Just a little little bit of ache as a result of the rostrum was that shut, it was doable. However nonetheless maintain my head up. Fifth on the earth, that’s an actual one thing, so on to the following one. That’s progress and I’m 23, so the world will certainly know me for certain.

“I attempted to go for the rostrum on the final leap, tried to be lucid and tried to execute as a lot as I can.”

Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo, the gold medalist in Tokyo, opened with a world-leading leap of 58-10¾ and the remainder of the sector couldn’t get inside 15 inches of him.

The second-longest leap ever at Hayward Area earned Pichardo his first gold medal at a world championships, the place he received silvers in 2013 and 2015.

“It’s an enormous emotion,” Pichardo mentioned. “Nice happiness after profitable the gold within the Olympics. It’s first-time gold on the earth championships.”

Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso jumped 57-7 to win silver. Pichardo’s first three makes an attempt have been all longer than Zango’s greatest mark, although he mentioned he wasn’t attempting to set a tone together with his opening leap.

“I used to be solely centered on me,” Pichardo mentioned. “My purpose was on me and attempting to realize the 18 (meter) mark.”

China’s Zhu Yaming received the bronze medal (56-9½), the primary medal for China within the occasion.

People Donald Scott (56-2¾) and Will Claye (54-3¼) completed in sixth and Eleventh, respectively, within the 11-man area. The silver medalist in each the London and Rio Olympics and the fourth-place finisher in Tokyo, Claye was eradicated after the primary three makes an attempt.

Each Scott and Claye declined to be interviewed.