'Superman' Sands makes triple jump final

Fri, Sep 2nd 2011, 09:29 AM

DAEGU, South Korea - 'Superman' Leevan Sands has been one of the most consistent performers for The Bahamas at the World Championships over the past decade.
For the fourth time in the past five World Championships, he is into the Men's Triple Jump final and he got there on his first jump early this morning here in Daegu, South Korea, late last night in The Bahamas.
Sands tied his season's best of 17.13 meters (m) - 56' 2-1/2" - at Daegu Stadium to get into the final.  The automatic qualifying standard for the final was 17.10m (56' 1-1/4").  Alexis Copello, from Cuba, had the best qualifying leap of 17.31m (56' 9-1/2"), Olympic Champion Nelson Evora from Portugal qualified with the second best leap of 17.20m (56' 5-1/4"), and Will Claye, from the United States, had the third best qualifying leap of 17.19m (56' 4-3/4").
"I feel great.  It was all through God.  It was all Him," said Sands.  "I hardly slept last night because I was so anxious to get this first jump out of the way and get into the final.  That was the key."
Sands has a tendency to produce big jumps at big meets.  He set his national record of 17.59m (57' 8-1/2") at the Beijing Olympic Games, and finished third, fourth and fourth, at three of the past four World Championships.
"I love leading by example," he said.  "I'll do anything for the kids and the younger jumpers.  I'm experienced enough to know how these big competitions go so I just go out there and perform.  I love medals... people call me a championship jumper.  I just know how to perform when it matters most.  It feels good.  It just tells you that all of your hard work has paid off."
In the qualifying round this morning here in Daegu, Sands said that he just wanted to get a good jump out of the way early so that he could relax and get ready for the final.  He has been known to follow that strategy over the years, and true to form, it happened again this morning.
Sands won an Olympic bronze medal in Beijing in 2008 to go along with his bronze and two fourth place finishes at the World Championships.  He's confident that he will be able to rise to the occasion once again, at these 13th International Association of Athletic Federations' (IAAF) World Championships, here in Daegu.
"For me to get a medal, I'll have to PR (personal best) again because these guys are really jumping," he said.  "It's the same people I had in Beijing, and the same people I had in Berlin.  It doesn't matter to me - I just want to go out there and do my best and bring this medal home for The Bahamas."
The Men's Triple Jump final is set for 7:05 p.m. Sunday evening here in Daegu, 6:05 a.m. Sunday morning in The Bahamas.

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