Hungary’s Luca Ekler breaks own world record twice to claim gold in Tokyo
According to olympics.com, leaping into record books on debut Paralympics… Luca Ekler becomes Hungary’s first woman to win a Paralympic athletics gold medal after she breaks her world record twice in long jump T38 in the Olympic Stadium on Day 7 at Tokyo 2020.
Luca Ekler has become the first woman from Hungary to win a Paralympics athletic gold medal after breaking her own world record twice in the T38 high jump on Day 7 at Tokyo 2020.
From her opening jump, the world and three-time European champion made her intentions clear with a record-breaking leap of 5.60m. By her third attempt she had stretched this to 5.63m, and after that there was no looking back for her at the Olympic Stadium.
“It’s a dream come true. I can’t find any words to express myself. I am incredibly happy. It was my biggest win,” said Ekler. “I wanted to beat my world record and when I did it the first time, I was like, ‘oh my God’, I really did this.”
On being the first Hungarian woman to win a Paralympic athletics gold medal, she added:
“I have an amazing team, they have supported me during the whole competition and I am so thankful for them. I am really glad that my gold is the first important one.”
The win was also a dream start to Ekler’s Paralympic career.
The 22-year-old, who was making her debut, cheered with delight at the end of the competition after beating off a formidable field.
Her nearest rival was London 2012 Paralympic champion and six-time world champion, Margarita Goncharova from the Russian Paralympic Committee. The 30-year-old’s best jump was 5.29m to claim silver. Great Britain’s two-time world champion, Olivia Breen, claimed bronze in 4.91m.
Ekler, who came fourth in the 100m T38, will be back in the Olympic Stadium on Friday, 3 September, to compete in the 400m T38. The European champion in the event said:
“Now I will have a little rest and after that I have to train for the 400m because I have a third event left. The stadium is so beautiful and I was happy the whole time during the competitions. I want to enjoy every moment.”