Chantel Malone sails thhrough the air on her second atempt
MOSCOW, August 13—Long Jumper Chantel Malone was the first of a record three British Virgin Islands athletes—all female—competing in the 14th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow, Russia, when she took to the sandpit on Saturday, Aug 10.
Malone—in her second successive championships—had a third round leap of 6.40m for the best jump of her series but did not make the 12 advancing to the final. She recorded a season’s best leap of 6.65m to qualify for the championships, which improved her previous best and National Record of 6.56m.
Malone said she had good warm up, had to readjust her steps and on her first jump did a total reach. “I couldn’t get to the board and that set me up to be on top of the jump and I didn’t get where I wanted to go,” she explained.“
Of her second attempt, Malone said she was able get on the board but didn’t have the quick ending she wanted—she wasn’t on top of herself as she wanted to be—but the mark was better. Her last attempt mirrored the first. Officials took up her starting indicator tape so she was unable to return to the spot.
“I tried to do everything I had prepared to do, but I don’t know why, it just didn’t happen,” she noted.
Comparing Moscow 2013 with Daegu 2011—her first World Championships—she considered this her first one because just before departing for Daegu, she badly sprained her ankle and had to have daily acupuncture treatment to compete.
“I felt really confident coming into this world championships. My practices were great—I’d never been as mentally prepared or physically prepared but, it just didn’t happen at this time,” she reflected. “I have to believe that everything that happened at this time, happened for a reason. I’ll be back for world indoors and I plan to be a factor.”
Six of the top 12 marks that advanced to finals were within her reach, ranging from eventual winner USA’s Britney Reese’s’ 6.57m leap to Anguilla’s Shara Proctor who now competes for England’s 6.85. Malone’s 6.40m mark was 21st of the 31 competitors.
“And that is what was the frustrating part, because, I’ve done half approaches or 10 step approaches over 21ft,” she pointed out. “It’s just annoying knowing that it’s within you, it just didn’t come out when you wanted it to. So, I just have to go back and work, and work and be more consistent and that’s the plan going into next year.”
Malone, a 2010 IAAF World Jr. Championships Long Jump and 400m finalist, said she feels this year has been the most consistent in her Long Jumping career.
“Even though some of the marks at meets weren’t as far as I wanted them to be, it wasn’t because I wasn’t up to par. At some meets, I had two legal jumps and the rest were fouls,” she recalled. “I think once I get that rhythm back and mastering the run, I’ll be fine. It was unfortunate that I didn’t get to do what I knew I was capable of doing, but every athlete has those days—even Britney Reese’s jump was no where near her best,” Malone pointed out. “Unfortunately, mine didn’t advance me, but it’s a lesson that I have to accept and grow from it.”