Reece Ademola edges closer to eight-metre mark with personal best in long jump

Munster Technological University student gained valuable ranking points in his quest for Olympic qualification

Surely now the eight-metre mark is only a matter of time, Reece Ademola once again improving his own Irish under-23 long jump record at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Two days short of turning 21, Ademola added 7cm to the mark set last week in Denmark, this time leaping 7.93m in his opening jump, good enough to finish third on the night to World and Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou from Greece won the competition with a best jump of 8.09m.

Ademola, who stands 6ft 9in and a student at Munster Technological University, also move closer up the Irish senior indoor all-time list, behind only Adam McMullen (7.99m) and Ciaran McDonagh, the National record holder with his 8.00m.

Better still the performance in Ostrava earns Ademola more valuable ranking points in his quest for Olympic qualification, with the clear promise of more to come.

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Sarah Lavin also lined up in the women’s 60m hurdles, finishing third in 7.93 seconds, behind Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (7.82) and Nadine Visser (7.93). Last week Lavin ran a lifetime best of 7.91, and with her Paris qualification already secured, looks set to target the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow on the first weekend in March.

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Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics