The Turkish national anthem played for the first time this Sunday at Istanbul’s Ataköy Arena, with the ascent to the podium of host Tugba Danismaz, the new European indoor court triple jump champion, along with her predecessor Patrícia Mamona, in third place .
“Maybe it was what he deserved. Now that I’m more aware and leaving the stage, where I heard the Turkish national anthem and saw the winner, it was emotional, because I thought about everything Turkey has been through in recent weeks and, sincerely , she deserved the gold, it was well delivered,” said the Portuguese in the mixed zone.
After the podium ceremony for Saturday’s competition, when Danismaz won, with 14.31 meters in the first jump, he defeated the Portuguese, Olympic runner-up, who opened the competition with 14.16 and would still be surpassed by the Italian Daiya Derkach, silver medalist, with 14h20 in the second test.
“We have to be positive, I’ve always tried to look on the bright side of things and I’ll get another medal. I have to be very happy with my career and everything I’ve achieved,” he admitted.
In her sixth appearance with Europeans on an indoor track, Mamona, aged 34, debuted in third place on the podium, having been crowned champion in Torun2021 and rising to second place in Belgrade2017 – she was also eighth in Gothenburg2013, fifth in Prague2015 and fourth in Glasgow2019.
Patrícia Mamona returned to play in the finals of a major competition caused by injury, such as the Outdoor Worlds in Oregon2022, in the United States, and later the Europeans, in Munich, Germany.
“I don’t feel so good, but I’m happy. It’s part of a career. Pain is normal, but that’s life. It’s part of an athlete’s path, I’ve had a lot of wins and a lot of defeats , many obstacles.” It’s an expression of my personality, which is to fight to the end, even knowing that I’m not doing well,” said the athlete, who complained of an adductor injury sustained during qualifying in Istanbul 2023, on Friday.
Once the competition is over, the Sporting athlete looks ahead and the next goals.
“I think I still have a lot to give. The national record of 15.53 is still a bit fixed, because I know I’m worth a lot more. Yesterday [no sábado] it wasn’t, but better days will come,” he underlined.
And inevitably, the World Championships will appear on his agenda, to be held in Budapest between August 19 and 27, in a competition in which the best results are eighth place in Oregon2022 and Doha2019.
“Once I recover I will go to ‘fight for medals’ mode, ‘Patricia beast’ mode [besta]”, he promised, assuring that the competitiveness of his discipline promotes and stimulates it: “The triple jump was a spectacular competition and not only for Yulimar [Rojas]but also because of the other athletes, but that’s what I like: the more they push me, the more I overcome myself”.
The athlete, European outdoor champion in Amsterdam2016 and silver medalist in Helsinki2012, did not leave the mixed zone of the Ataköy Arena without “thanking all the Portuguese for their support, which was exceptional”, practically apologizing for not returning with the entourage at Monday to join relatives in London.
“I know that the Portuguese are proud of my work and can trust that I will always do my best and represent our country in the best way,” he guaranteed.
Larrinaga fell in the semifinals of the 60m hurdles
Portugal’s Abdel Larrinaga was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 60-meter hurdles at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Istanbul on Sunday, finishing the competition in 13th place.
“I felt good, I was confident and I was sure I was going to make it, but I hit a barrier and didn’t have time to recover. It was another semi-final and now it’s time to work because there is still a long way to go,” said the Sporting hurdler.
Abdel Larrinaga finished the second series of the semifinals in seventh place, in 7.81 seconds, less than his personal best (7.67) and best mark of the year (7.73). The top four from each round qualified for the final.
“I think if I hadn’t hit the barrier I could have fought for presence in the final. I had a good reference from the French. [Just Kwaou-Mathey, que fez 7,61], but I also have some inexperience at these stages. I, wherever it is, am going to ‘kill’, but here we win if we go well… I’m a little sad, but I did my best,” he lamented.
The penultimate Portuguese player in Istanbul2023 admitted that he would like to see a different outcome.
“It was all or nothing. Only four passed. It was running, giving the maximum and that’s what I did, I tried, I tried, but in the barriers it happens. I’m happy because I finished this winter season injury free.” , but I don’t like to lose, much less to lose like that,” he concluded.
Still in the mixed zone of the Ataköy Arena, Abdel Larrinaga admitted that he will benefit from Benfica’s hiring of Cuban Roger Iribarne, whom he considered “a good reference”.
“It was one of the best things that happened on the barriers in Portugal, which this school doesn’t have. For me it’s super important because I have someone with a good level to compete with. Healthy, I’ll try to run fast, like him, so that we can be two Portuguese in battle [enquanto apontava para a pista]”, he emphasized.
Cuban Roger Iribarne has the best mark of 13.26 seconds in the 110 meters hurdles, achieved in 2022, the same year Larrinaga achieved his best ever mark in the distance, in 13.59.
“I don’t see him as an enemy, he’s much better than me, but I have to go after him and of course try to beat him,” he concluded.
Source: DN
