Tentoglou Out of the Competition
Lesay managed a jump of 7.97 meters, pushing Tentoglou down to 11th place and out of the final. Williams had earlier recorded 7.73 meters, while the cameras repeatedly showed Tentoglou sitting on the track massaging his calf after each attempt. With Guerra registering a foul, only Lesay remained a threat to Tentoglou’s position. Meanwhile, China’s Shi produced a third jump of 8.06 meters, holding on to second place behind Gayle—both at 8.33, but the Jamaican leads thanks to a better second-best jump of 8.07.

UPDATE:

Furlani moves up

The Italian, with his second jump at 8.13, moves into second place.

Miltos does not complete his 2nd attempt

Shock as Miltos started his sprint, but after his first few strides he stopped, invalidating his attempt while holding his calf.

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The first Greek medal in Tokyo came on Monday noon, with the impressive Emmanouil Karalis taking 2nd place in the pole vault final.

Now, his close friend “Manolo,” Miltos Tentoglou, throws himself into the battle of his own final, where—despite the intense competition and the problems he is facing—he wants to defend his World Champion title and win a second consecutive gold medal in the event (the previous one came two years ago in Budapest).

The athlete coached by George Pomaski wants to “seal” the competition from his very first attempts. He is competing first and, just like in the qualifiers, he wants to send an early message of dominance to his rivals while also protecting his leg (he has discomfort in his ankle). If he manages to win gold, it will be his 12th medal in a major championship, achieving something unique: having at least two gold medals in every major track and field tournament.

It’s not the first time Tentoglou enters a final carrying an injury. In 2021, in Toruń, he managed to win with just one jump, despite a serious knee problem. His mentality allows him to overcome difficulties and deliver when it matters most. That’s what he did in the qualifiers, and that’s what he wants to do in the final.

Miltos currently holds 11 gold medals in senior competitions since 2018, and 12 in total, since in 2022 he finished second at the World Championships in Eugene.

The Greek champion has the world-leading performance this year (from the European Team Championships in Madrid) with 8.46 m. In the qualifiers, however, the best mark was achieved by Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle (third in the previous World Championships) with 8.28 m (season best 8.34 m). Italy’s Mattia Furlani has jumped 8.37 m this year and looks ready to fight for his first World medal, while Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer has an 8.34 m jump—though on an elevated runway.

Notably absent from the final is Wayne Pinnock, runner-up in the previous World Championships, who did not travel to Tokyo.