HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 12, 2009) Former Rice University star track and field and athlete Funmi Jimoh continues to established herself as a major force in the world in the long jump event. Last week at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix 2009 in Doha, Qatar, Jimoh (Rice, 2007) long jumped her all-time personal-best with a leap of 6.96m/22-10. Jimoh's mark placed second in the meet to Brittney Reese's 6.99m/22-11.25 and it is also the No. 2 long jump mark in the world for 2009.
Jimoh, who continues to train at Rice and is coached by Rice women's track and field head coach Jim Bevan, surpassed her previous best of 6.91m/22-8 set at the 2008 Victor Lopez Bayou Classic on the Rice campus. Jumping first of the nine finalists, Jimoh scratched on her first attempt. She then jumped 6.68m/21-11 on her second attempt to rank third after two rounds. On her third of four tries, Jimoh leaped 6.96m to take the lead before Brittney Reese, jumping fifth in the order, went 6.99m.
"I'm really happy with my performance in Doha," commented Jimoh. "The training has really paid off especially when I went 6.96. Even though Brittney (Reese) jumped 6.99 I was still ecstatic."
The current top four world long jump marks were achieved at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix. 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist Maurren Higa Maggi (Brazil) placed third behind Jimoh with a distance of 6.90m/22-7.75, while Portugual's Naide Gomes was fourth (6.82m/22-4.5).
The Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix is part of the World Athletics Tour. Jimoh also serves as a volunteer assistant coach for the Owls’ track and field team.
Jimoh is gearing up for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany (August 15-23). To earn a spot on Team USA, she will have to place in the top three at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship which takes place at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. (June 25-28).
Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix Women's Long Jump Results
1 REESE, Brittney - USA - 6.99
2 Jimoh, Funmi - USA - 6.96
3 MAGGI, Maurren Higa - Brazil - 6.90
4 GOMES, Naide - Portugal - 6.82
5 COSTA, Keila - Brazil, - 6.68
6 VELDAKOVA, Jana - Slovakia - 6.51
7 SOKOLOVA, Yelena - Russia - 6.43
8 JOSEPHS, Janice - South Africa - 6.39
9 JURAVLEVA, Anastasiya - Uzbekistan, - 6.02
Top Current World 2009 Long Jump Marks - www.iaaf.org
6.99 Brittney Reese, USA, Doha, 05/08/2009
6.96 Funmi Jimoh, USA, Doha, 05/08/2009
6.90 Maurren Higa Maggi, Doha, 05/08/2009
6.82 Naide Gomes, POR, Doha, 05/08/2009
6.80 Grace Upshaw, USA, Berkeley, Calif. 04/25/2009
6.79 Hyleas Fountain, USA,Berkeley, Calif. 04/25/2009
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