TOKYO: Italy’s Mattia Furlani underlined his status as the coming man in long jump when he won the world title with a personal best leap of 8.39m on Wednesday, as big favourite Miltiadis Tentoglou failed to make it to the second round of jumps.
The 20-year-old Furlani, the world indoor champion, became the youngest and first Italian winner of the title after speeding down the runway and soaring into the humid Tokyo night on his fifth attempt.
Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle, world champion six years ago and bronze medallist in 2023, took silver with 8.34, ahead of China’s China’s Shi Yuhao (8.33).
Greece’s double Olympic and defending world champion Tentoglou, the world leader this year with 8.46, never looked himself and his 7.83 in the first round was 11th-best of the first three rounds with only the top 10 advancing for extra jumps.