Mon, August 06, 2012
LONDON, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Colombian athlete Caterine IbarguenSunday snagged a silver medal in the triple jump competition at theLondon 2012 Olympic Games, raising her country's medal count tofour.
Ibarguen flew 14 meters and 80 centimeters, but fell short ofthe 14.98 meters registered by Kazakhstan's gold medalist OlgaRypakova, to place second ahead of Ukraine's Olha Saladuha, whotook bronze with 14.79 meters.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos praised Ibarguen, callingher win "Colombia's biggest achievement!" in a message posted onTwitter.
Santos also said Ibarguen was the "pride of Apartado," inreference to the town in northwest Colombia where the athlete wasborn in 1984.
Later, in a phone call to Ibarguen that was broadcast by localCaracol TV, Santos congratulated her on behalf of the 46 millionColombians who applauded her, who gave her all their support, "Youhad a wonderful performance and you make us very proud."
Ibarguen, meanwhile, thanked Santos for the support he has givensports in his first two years in office.
Dedicating her win to her family, trainers and all Colombia, sheadded, "I wanted the gold, that's what I worked for, but ... I didmy best."
Ibarguen's prize marks Colombia's fourth medal at London 2012,as well as her country's best performance yet in Olympic track andfield, besting the bronze won by Ximena Restrepo in the 400-meterrace at Barcelona 1992, Colombia's only medal in the sport untiltoday.
Ibarguen joins winning Colombian athletes Oscar AlbeiroFigueroa, who won silver in the 62-kilo class weightlifting;Rigoberto Uran, who won silver in the men's cycling road race; andYuri Alvear, who won bronze in the 70-kilo class judocompetition.
Colombia's total Olympic medal count now stands at 15, includingone gold, six silver and eight bronze. Enditem
