Olympic T&F Preview - Womens Jumps

[TheGlyde]

My previews/tips:

The Long Jump

Glyde's tips
Gold: Nadia Gomez (POR)
Silver: Lyudmila Kolchanova (RUS)
Bronze: Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS)

Flier for a medal
Maurren Maggi (BRA)

Gomes and Kolchanova are the only athletes over 7metres this year, and that puts them atop my tips, but Lebedeva has the talent and xperience to again hunt down a major medal here. Maurren Maggi has a 6.99 to her credit this year and should be in the mix.

Tipped Finalists:
Brittney Reese (USA)
Melis Karin Mey (TUR)
Funmi Jimoh (USA)
Tatyana Kotova (RUS)

All 4 of these athletes, along with Carolina Kluft, could rise into contention with the right jump. Kotova has been around for years and always jumps well at the big meets, Jimoh, Mey and Reese all have been past 6.90 this year and have potential to mix with the medalists.

TheTriple Jump

Glyde's tips
Gold: Yargelis Savigne (CUB)
Silver: Hrysopiyi Devetzi (GRE)
Bronze: Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS)

Flier for a medal
Francoise Mbango Etone (CMR)

Lebedeva should again be in the medal hunt here, at times she has dominated this event but hasn't won a major gold medal with the 2003 world champs. Savigne has been past 15metres 3 times this year and is my pick, despite Devetzi toping the world rankings so far with a 15.22m jump. Mbango is the defending Olympic champion and has competed sparingly in the past 4 years, but seems to have found some form this year.

Tipped Finalists:
Olha Saladuha (UKR)
Marija Sestak (SLO)
Oksana Udmurtova (RUS)
Viktoriya Gurova (RUS)

Udmurtova is the only one of these athletes who hasn't been past 14.60 this year, the other 3 have all been past 14.80 and with a big jump could challenge for medals.

The High Jump

Glyde's tips
Gold: Blanka Vlasic (CRO)
Silver: Yelena Slesarenko (RUS)
Bronze: Anna Chicherova (RUS)

Flier for a medal
Ariane Friedrich (GER)

Vlasic is the class of this field, with the top 8 jumps in the world this year she appears to be a class above and should take the gold. Slesarenko is the defending Olympic Champion, and should be in the medal hunt with fellow Russian Chicherova and Ariane Friedrich, both of whom have jumped 2.03 this year.

Tipped Finalists:
Ruth Beitia (ESP)
Vita Palamar (UKR)
Tia Hellebaut (BEL)
Yekaterina Savchenko (RUS)

Palamar and Savchenko haven't been in the best of form this year, but are usually bit time perfomers when it counts. Hellebaut and Beitia have been past 2metres this year, and could surprise for a medal if one of the big hopes falter.

The Pole Vault

Glyde's tips
Gold: Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
Silver: Jennifer Stuczynski (USA)
Bronze: Fabiana Murer (BRA)

Flier for a medal
Monika Pyrek (POL)

I'm not sure if there is a bigger favourite at these games than Yelena Isinbayeva, after a little time away from dominating the world rankings, Isinbayeva returned to break her world record twice this year. Look for her to raise the bar to 5.05m once she has the gold in her grasp. With 4 jumps past 4.80 this year, Stuczynski is a great chance for the silver here, Murer is the only other athlete who has jumped 4.80 this year. My flier for a medal is Monika Pyrek, who often comes through well in the big meets.

Tipped Finalists:
Yuliya Golubchikova (RUS)
Svetlana Feofanova (RUS)
Anna Rogowska (POL)
April Steiner Bennett (USA)

It wasn't long ago when Isinbayeva used to constantly pass back and forth the Vault WR with fellow Russian Svetlana Feofanova. Feofanova isn't quite at that level anymore, but with a 4.75 this year she could also be in the medal mix. Rogowska and Golubchikova have both jumped well this year, and April Steiner has a chance to make the final here if she can replicate her seasons best.