Romanian Cristine Spataru completed the Long and Triple Jump double to become only the second athlete in the Championships to win two individual gold medals (the other being American Jason Richardson, who won the 110m and 400m Hurdles).
But Spataru was almost denied her second gold in the final round when Denisa Scerbova of the Czech Republic came within an agonising one centimetre of the Romanian.
In a low-key start to the competition world leader Ganna Demydova of Ukraine was the only woman to breach the six metre barrier with 6.12m.
But the competition sparked into life in round two, as Czech Republic’s Denisa Scerbova, the number one qualifier, leapt out to 6.24m. However, the lead was short-lived as with the very next jump the powerfully built Romanian Cristine Spataru jumped a personal best of 6.41m to equal the championship record.
Conditions for the competitors, who faced a swirling wind and a torrential downpour were tough and Demydova injured her knee with her fifth round effort and played no further part.
But just as the competition appeared to be fizzling out to a disappointing conclusion Scerbova came within a centimetre of the leader with her final jump.
But it was Spataru, who has a Cuban father and Romanian mother, was to collect her second gold of the championships. In the previous two editions of the Championships a Cuban and a Romanian won gold in this event.
Spaturu said of her double gold medal winning performance: “It feels wonderful to win my second gold. I can’t believe that I was able to win two golds here – and by just one centimetre. I’m just so happy that I’m the best in the world.”
