Caterine Ibarguen in the triple jump at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (© AFP / Getty Images)
World champion Caterine Ibarguen breezed into the triple jump final with ease, bounding out to 14.52m – the best mark of the round – with her one jump of the morning.
With her place in the final secured, the Colombian will now focus on improving on the silver medal she took four years ago in London.
Olga Rypakova, the defending Olympic champion, also advanced comfortably. Her 14.39m leap was nine centimetres beyond the automatic qualifying distance.
Greece’s Paraskevi Papahristou was the only other automatic qualifier. The world indoor bronze medallist jumped 14.43m, the second-best mark of the day.
World indoor champion Yulimar Rojas will also be in the final after the Venezuelan went out to 14.21m with her opening attempt. Her two other jumps weren’t quite as convincing, but she has the potential to uncork a big jump.
World silver medallist Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko had to keep her cool after recording fouls with her opening two efforts. The Israeli jumper landed a safe 14.20m with her final jump to progress into the final.
European champion Patricia Mamona and US champion Keturah Orji also advanced, so too did Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams, Germany’s Kristin Gierisch and Finland’s Kristiina Makela.
There will be some notable absentees from the final, though.
Ukraine’s 2011 world champion Olga Rypakova was unable to jump beyond 14 metres and finished down in 18th place. Jamaica’s Shanieka Thomas and Cuba’s Liadagmis Povea – who were sixth and seventh respectively on the 2016 world list – were more than half a metre down on their best this year and will also miss out on the final.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
