Mitch Watt takes silver in jump
THE ripples from the pool splashed across the cycling track and trickled into athletics as Mitch Watt took long jump silver behind ... yes, a Briton.
Watt tonight became the third Australian to win an Olympic silver long jump medal after Jai Taurima in Sydney and Gary Honey in Los Angeles - a leap of 8.16m that, by his standards, left him surprised he won a medal of any colour.
Yet Watt was the first to heap praise on the gold medallist, Briton Greg Rutherford, who won with 8.31m - the shortest distance to win an Olympic medal since Munch in 1972, when gold was worth 8.24m.
"I can't believe I am a silver medallist with 8.16m. It was pretty tough," said Watt, who has a personal best of 8.54m. Even in an injury interrupted season, he has recorded a best effort of 8.28m.
I don't think I had my run-up nailed, and to be honest I don't think I had an 8.30m in me tonight. I don't think I jumped as well as I could have."
Read more at Brisbanetimes.com.au
