From Howe to Olsson, jumps to dream

Andrew Howe and Christian Olsson, European champions in Gothenburg 2006, are going to challenge the world from the Golden Gala runways.  

The Italian hero in the men’s long jump is back at the Olympic Stadium, after last year’s magnificent jump measured 8.41, just two centimetres below the Italian record in the discipline. On that memorable night, Panama’s Irving Saladino, who will miss the Rome meeting this year, won the competition.

Many world-class athletes will attempt to make Howe’s life harder. The Italian’s aim is to show he is still on top in the European hierarchy, trying to beat, above all others, Greek Louis Tsatoumas (a best of 8.66 metres this year). Along with him are Jamaica’s James Beckford, back in good shape this season, and Dwight Phillips, Olympic and world champion as well as recent winner at the US trials, who could be the hardest opponents he faces. In Rome, there will be also the junior world title holder Australian Robbie Crougher, the world indoor champion Ghana’s Ignisious Gaisah, and the experienced South African Godfrey Mokoena. Against him Howe won his world junior title in Grosseto 2004.  

The men’s triple jump event is expected to be a tough competition among the best specialists in the world. Swede Christian Olsson, reigning Olympic and world champion, is surely the favourite to win. Winner in the 2004 edition of the Golden Gala, he also claimed victory in the Paris meeting with a measure of 17.56 metres a few days ago. Challenging him is the Briton Phillips Idowu, one of the jumpers in best shape at the moment and winner in the Golden League first leg in Oslo. Other strong competitors are Brasil’s Jadel Gregorio, the “ebony giant” of 2 metres, who set the world season’s best with 17.90, and Americans Walter Davis and Aarik Wilson. Davis, world champion in 2005, and Wilson are both able to jump over 17 metres.

Also looking for good performances are the young Osniel Tosca of Cuba (17.25 this season) and Portugal’s Nelson Evora, winner in the European Cup and Rumanian Marian Oprea. A jumper with a long international career, Oprea was silver medallist at the Olympic Games in Athens 2004 and won the bronze at the last edition of the European Championships.