“I was born to jump 16 meters”, says enthusiastic Yulimar Rojas

Just proclaiming herself this Sunday three-time world champion in the triple jump in the hall, with a new world record (15.74 m), Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, 26, is not satisfied and is already aiming to overcome a legendary barrier: “I was born to jump 16 meters”, she said in Belgrade.

With that 15.74m jump, Rojas did not win his third indoor world title (after those won in 2016 and 2018), but improved by 7 centimeters his world record won at the Tokyo Games last summer and is getting closer and closer to the 16-meter barrier, which no athlete has achieved so far.

The absolute superiority of the Venezuelan in this discipline, of which she is also a double outdoor world champion (2017 and 2019), was again evident, distancing the silver medal by one meter, the Ukrainian Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (14.74 m).

“Today was like a dream for me,” declared the Venezuelan with the gold medal around her neck.

“I wanted to come here with my coach (Cuban Ivan Pedroso) and have fun. I was in great shape and felt like I could do great things,” added the best athlete of 2020.

Rojas was delighted with the result achieved in Belgrade: “I am very happy because I achieved everything I wanted and more”, although she added that she did not know if her record was “pure magic or a coincidence”.

“It could have happened in any jump, but it happened in the last one. It seems a bit like a leap for glory!”

Questioned about the possibility of jumping beyond 16 meters, the Venezuelan recalled: “Nothing is impossible, that's my motto.”

“I have two motivations in life: to reach 16 meters and do better than my coach, the legend Iván Pedroso,” he added, referring to the five indoor and four outdoor world titles in the long jump of the legendary Cuban jumper.

“I will overcome them. I was born to jump 16 meters and this is what inspires me to help inspire others... I know that I have 16 meters in my legs and that is my goal,” she insisted enthusiastically.

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