Tokyo 2020

Israel’s Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko finishes sixth in Olympic triple jump

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas takes home the gold and smashes her way to a new world record

Amy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel

Israel's Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko competes in the women's triple jump final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021. (Andrej Isakovic/AFP)
Israel's Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko competes in the women's triple jump final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 1, 2021. (Andrej Isakovic/AFP)

Israeli athlete Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko finished the final of the women’s triple jump in sixth place overall on Sunday, falling short of the medal podium but achieving her season-best jump.

Knyazyeva-Minenko, 31, represented Israel at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, finishing in fifth place overall. In 2012, she competed for her native Ukraine at the London Olympics, and came in fourth.

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas took home the gold and set a new world record, while Portugal’s Patricia Mamoma got silver and Spain’s Ana Peleteiro won bronze.

Rojas broke a record that had been in place for 26 years, and her finishing jump — 15.67m — set her way ahead of the rest of the pack. The last world record, set by Ukraine’s Inessa Kravets in 1995, was 15.50m.

Knyazyeva-Minenko finished with a best jump of 14.6m.

Knyazyeva-Minenko was one of Israel’s flag bearer’s at the opening ceremony in Tokyo, alongside swimmer Yakov Toumarkin.

“We feel the pride and support of all of the nation of Israel,” she told reporters at a video press conference ahead of the ceremony last month. “It’s a huge [source of] pride for us and for everyone.”

Israel’s flag bearers Hanna Minenko (L) and Yakov Toumarkin lead the delegation during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Ben STANSALL/AFP)

Knyazyeva-Minenko immigrated to Israel in 2013, and has lived in the country for the past eight years. “I really love Israel, it wasn’t hard for me to get attached to this country, because people are very warm,” she said. “I’ve received a lot of support, and I feel Israeli in every way. I’m proud to be Israeli.”

Earlier Sunday, Israeli gymnast Artem Dolgopyat made history by taking home a gold medal in the floor exercise in men’s artistic gymnastics. It is the second gold medal in history for Israel, the first ever medal in gymnastics, and the third at the Tokyo Olympics. Until now, Israel has never won more than two medals at any one Olympic Games.

On Monday, Israeli runner Selamawit Dagnachew Teferi will compete in the finals of the women’s 5000m race. Her husband, Marhu Teferi, along with fellow Israelis Haimro Alame and Girmaw Amare, will race the men’s marathon on August 8. A day earlier, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter and Maor Tiyouri will represent Israel at the women’s marathon. Chemtai Salpeter is considered a serious contender for a medal in the event.

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