09.07.2009

Jumpers join the action in Bressanone

It was mixed results for Australia’s jumps representatives at the world youth championships today as track and field action continued to heat up in Bressanone, Italy.

New South Wales athlete Kurt Jenner equalled his personal best distance of 7.24m (w: 1.1) in the qualifying round of the boys’ long jump but amidst a strong field of competitors narrowly missed qualification for tomorrow’s final.
  
“It was alright, I would have liked to make the final but equalling my PB is a good result and I did my best so that’s all that counts and I’ll come back better next time,” Jenner said.

Landing 6.76m (w: 0.0) on his first jump and fouling the second, Jenner bounced back to equal the personal best distance he set in Sydney in March on his final attempt.

“There was a lot of pressure, it was my last jump so it was good just to get one out and know that I’m up there jumping around my PB,” he said.

A quality field pushed Jenner into eighteenth position at the conclusion of the qualifying round, the event headlined by Russian Stefan Brits with a best leap of 7.58m.

“I thought that jumping my PB would get me into the final but as soon as the others started jumping around 7.50m I knew I had some work to do and I tried to jump a bit better and on my last one it showed,” Jenner said.

“It’s unlucky to miss the final but as I said, hopefully I can come back next time and go one better.”

In other jumps results, Australian duo Denise Snyder and Amy Pejkovic both advanced to the girls’ high jump final, the pair clearing 1.77m to join the 14 starters set for Friday’s deciding round.

“I’m so excited, I’m so glad I got into the final, it’s been such a great experience so far and hopefully I do well in the final,” Snyder said.

Snyder, who boats a personal best mark of 1.81m, will be looking for a repeat performance of today’s final jump when she lines up in Friday’s decider, the Victorian nailing the perfect leap to secure her place in the world youth final.

“My last jump at 1.77m was fantastic, the speed and everything was right so hopefully I can produce that in the final,” she said.

Fellow Australian Amy Pejkovic will also advance, the New South Wales athlete clearing all heights on her first attempt in today's qualifying round to record a perfect run into Friday’s final. 

“I’m over the moon, it’s such a relief to get into the final,” Pejkovic said.

“I didn’t think I would jump too well because at first my run-up wasn’t right so I was a bit nervous but I got it right and went from there.”