Track & Field 2K21: Olympic Long Jump Qualifier

Serbia's Ivana Spanovic had the best long jump in the qualifying round at the Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan, July 30.

Spanovic hit a mark of seven meters which led 12 other competitors who qualified out of a field of 28 jumpers that attempted to get to the final round. Spanovic, 31, competed in the Olympics in 2012 and 2016. She placed eighth in the long jump in 2012 and third, winning the bronze medal in 2016. She is also a two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships in 2013 and 2015. Spanovic captured gold and silver medals at the World Indoor Championships in 2018 and 2016 respectively.

Germany's Malaika Mihambo of Germany had the second best jump in the qualifying round at 6.98. The 27-year-old placed fourth at the 2016 Olympics, just missing out on a medal. She won gold at the 2019 World Championships with a jump of 7.30. She has also won nine national championships in Germany. Five of those were won during the outdoor season in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and this year. Four were won during the last four indoor seasons from 2018-21.

The top jumper from the United States during the qualifying round was Brittney Reese, whose mark of 6.86 was the third best. Reese, 34, is looking to add to her Olympic medal collection. She won gold in 2012 and silver in 2016. Her first Olympic appearance was in 2008 when she placed fourth. Reese won two world championships in 2013 and 2017.

Fellow Team USA competitor Tara Davis also qualified with the fourth best jump of 6.85. Davis is the youngest jumper in the competition. At 22, she has won gold medals in the long jump at the World U-18 Championships in 2015 and the Pan American U-20 Championships in 2017. She also won the NCAA championship this year while competing at University of Texas.

Chantel Malone, a 29-year-old of the British Virgin Islands joined the finals with the fifth best qualifying jump of 6.82. She was the long jump winner at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Sweden's Khaddi Sagnia and Nigeria's Ese Brume both recorded jumps of 6.76. Sagnia is a 27-year-old jumper who has won five outdoor national championships during the years of 2015-18 as well as 2020. During the indoor season she took national crowns in 2011, 2018, 2020 and this year as well. Brume is 25 and has been a bronze medalist at the 2019 World Championships. She has won three gold medals at the African championships in 2014, 2016 and 2020.

Abigail Irozuru of Great Britain qualified for the final with a jump of 6.75. The 31-year-old has won one outdoor national championship in 2019 and two indoor national championships in 2015 and 2020. Trinidad and Tobago's Tyra Gittens is also in the finals with her jump of 6.72. Gittens, 23, is in her first Olympic games after winning national championships in 2018 and 2019. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine, 26, finished right behind Gittens at 6.71. She has won seven straight national titles from 2015-21. She also won a silver medal at the World Championships in 2019.

Another Great Britain competitor Jazmin Sawyers, 27, grabbed one of the last two spots with a mark of 6.62. Sawyers placed eighth at the 2016 Olympic games. She's won three national championships in 2016, 2020 and this year. Her lone 2016 indoor national championship came in 2016.

The final qualifier was Brooke Stratton. The Australian who is 28 is has one four national championships in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021. She placed seventh in the long jump at the 2016 Olympics.