Panama's Irving Saladino won men's long jump at the Osaka world athletics championships on Thursday.
He won the gold with 8.57 meters, followed by Andrew Howe from Italy, 8.47m, and Dwight Phillips from the United States, 8.30m.
Saladino, 24, set a new personal best with the jump, one centimeter farther than his previous.
"Before my last jump I told myself -- You are the best in the world, so go for the gold medal!" Saladino said. "This is what I did - I gave my best, I came out very strong and I got it."
He was the favorite in the competition, after winning 15 out of 16 competitions in 2006 and all the seven this year, with five jumps of 8.38m or better.
However, the competition between Saladino and American-born Howe, a fast-improving 22-year-old, was fierce. Howe beat Saladino's 8.46m at the last jump and Saladino regained the lead immediately.
"This was a strong battle for the gold with Howe!" Saladino said.
"You never know until the end and Saladino put out a great job, " said Howe as well.
Phillips who won the 2003 and 2005 world championships and 2004 Olympic Games, said he was very disappointed. "It did not go as planned, I did not do well," he said. "I had my off day, steps were little bit off, the guys in front did better."
But he promised to take back the leading position next year. "It was my last meet of the season, I'm definitely motivated for next year to return on top," he said.
In the past 10 world athletics championships, Americans won the title six times, while Cuba's Ivan Pedroso won four from 1995 to 2001.
"The victory is for the Latin American people. We are still on the top, we can do big things! God bless Latin Americans!" Saladino said.
Source: Xinhua
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