De Jong breaks world record and wins Paralympic gold in Paris
Joël de Jong has won the Paralympic long jump title at the Games in Paris. He triumphed with a new world record of 7.68 meters. Noah Mbuyamba secured bronze for the Dutch (7.01 m).
Le saut exceptionnel de Joel DE JONG qui bat le record du monde du saut en longueur masculin T63 d'1 centimètre a 7m68 !!
— Haz (@lebonHaz) August 31, 2024
Tout simplement fou d'avoir vécu ça aux premières loges 😭♥️ pic.twitter.com/Xo4VuxdYKj
Joël de Jong springt naar 7,04m en 🥈 in zijn laatste sprong tijdens de WK para-atletiek in #Kobe 🇯🇵
— Edwin ⭕️ Peek (@edwin_peek) May 19, 2024
Noah #Mbuyamba zorgt voor 🥉 voor Nederland met 6,65m
Goud is er voor de Duitser Leon #Schaefer met 7,22m#paraathletics #kobe2024 pic.twitter.com/VM2Vn1nR29
De Jong wears a prosthetic leg after being diagnosed with bone cancer. The full stadium gave him a lot of strength. "It gives a golden edge. I don't really realize it yet. The first jump was invalid, and that made me a bit stressed. But that audience, that clapping, that gave me so much energy. I saw my family sitting there, my coach, my prosthetist. The stadium is almost full. Fantastic," de Jong told NOS.
On Sunday, track and field athlete Fleur Jong extended her long jump title at the Paralympic Games. The 28-year-old from Noord-Holland achieved a distance of 6.53 meters in her best jump at the Stade de France near Paris. This significantly improved the Paralympic record in the T62 class, with which she won gold at the Games in Tokyo three years ago.
VAN LINKS NAAR RECHTS 🎶🧡🇳🇱
— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) August 31, 2024
Fleur Jong secures 🥇in the women’s long jump T64 with a 6.53m jump (New Paralympic Record), successfully defending her Tokyo title.
It's double podium for the Netherlands with 🇳🇱Marlene van Gansewinkel taking 🥈!#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/d7IKtSj4iC
Due to a bacterial infection, Jong had to have her lower legs and part of the tips of her toes amputated. She will also compete in the 100-meter sprint.
Furthermore, silver went to Tilburg-born Marlène van Gansewinkel, who achieved a distance of 5.87 meters in her final jump. The American B. Hatz (third) only just prevented a podium finish for debutant Kiki Hendriks.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times