Reese won the London track and field championships with a distance of 7.02 meters. She bested some stiff competition from her competitors Darya Klishina, who took home the silver with seven meters, and fellow American Tianna Bartoletta (and 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Rio de Janeiro) came in third place, claiming the bronze, with a jump of 6.97 meters.
This win was quite emotional for Reese, since she had lost her grandfather a few weeks prior, and paid the ultimate homage to win by taking home the gold medal. On the back of her bib she had inscribed the following inspirational words: “Believe in yourself. RIP Paw Paw #9,” and she drew two hearts.
This marks Reese’s fourth career win at the World Championships level. She previously won gold in the outdoor track and field championships in Berlin (2009), Daegu (2011), Moscow (2013) and now, London. Last summer, Reese came in second place at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games with a jump of 7.15 meters, right behind American Tianna Bartoletta, who won with a personal best of 7.17 meters. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Reese won first place with 7.12 meters.
In addition, Reese has won three World Indoor Championships (2010, 2012, 2016), and she holds the indoor American record in the women’s long jump, with 7.23 meters
To learn more about long jumper Brittney Reese, follow her on Twitter.
