Long jumper Kumiko Imura disappointed with performance
Kumiko Imura was unhappy with her performance in the 2010 Asian Games women's long jump competition on Tuesday. The defending champion from Japan managed only a fifth-place finish at the Aoti Main Stadium.
"I was in form coming into this event. I just couldn't perform the way I wanted to.
I couldn't really control the speed of my run-up. I was slow sometimes, fast at others," the 29-year-old told Kyodo News.
Imura posted jumps of 6.37m in her first and third attempts, which was her best effort. She jumped 6.19m in her second attempt and 6.28m in her third try.
The Yamagata native slightly improved to 6.29m in her fifth jump. In her final attempt, she managed only 6.30m, which is good only for fifth place. Her final tally is way below her personal best of 6.86m, which is also the Japanese record.
Imura said wear and tear may have finally taken its toll on her body.
"I need to have the mental strength to do well in big events. Over the past few years, I even thought about retiring because I really struggled with my jump," the Olympian said.
"But now I'm prepared to go through the rough. I know I can grow as a person and as an athlete.”
Jung Soo-nok of South Korea won the gold with a winning leap of 6.53m, which she posted in her fourth attempt. Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan settled for the silver medal with a 6.44m effort, which she also achieved in her fourth try.
Heptathlon queen Yuliya Tarasova of Uzbekistan snatched the bronze after making a best jump of 6.49m. She was actually tied with Marestella Torres but the Filipina made more fouls. It was a disappointing finish for Torres, who led through the fourth round
after jumping 6.49m in her first attempt.
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