Gold medalist to give medal to daughter

Guangzhou : Asian triple jump record holder Olga Rypakova will present her gold medal to her daughter when she returns home later this week.

"This has been a long, long season for me. I have been away too long and I have missed my daughter," Rypakova told Gulf News after leaping 14.78m to claim the women's triple jump gold ahead of China's Xie Limei and Thailand's Thitima Muangjan at the Aoti Stadium on Thursday.

"I am tired and I need the rest after such a long season. We are at the end of November, so I need time to recuperate and then start preparing for the new season," she said.

Long wait

"But most importantly, I want to go and be with my daughter [Anastasia, who is six years old]. I have spoken to her on telephone but I have missed her too much and there is nothing like being with her after such a long time," said the 1.8m tall athlete, who turns 26 on November 30.

"The last time we spoke she told me that she was missing me, so I want to get back home and present her with this gold medal," Rypakova said. This was Rypakova's second medal at these Asian Games, after claiming the silver in the long jump.