BEIJING // Like many Panamanians, Irving Saladino dreamt of a career in baseball in the United States. Good thing for his country, he changed his mind. The shaven-headed long jumper won his nation's first Olympic gold medal, ending a 60-year stretch where Panama had failed to achieve Olympic success of any kind. The 2007 World Champion won with a best jump of 8.34 metres - 10cm longer than the world indoor champion Khotso Mokoena of South Africa, who took silver. Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba was third at 8.20. "I'm just waiting to get to Panama - to see if it's going to be a wild party," the 25-year-old said. "To be an Olympic champion is much better than being a world champion. The truth is it's a medal I really had to fight for." The victory ended a virtual USA lock on the event. In the modern Olympics, Americans have won the long jump 22 of 26 times with stars such as Carl Lewis, Bob Beamon and Jesse Owens. The reigning Olympic champion, Dwight Philips, did not make the USA squad this time around. Saladino not only wore his national colours on his vest, but also on his shoes: one was blue, the other red. The celebrations were a long time coming. The last time the country saw success in the games was in 1948 when Lloyd LaBeach won bronze in the 100m and 200m. Even though he won gold, Saladino - who divides his time between Panama and Brazil - was not entirely happy with his performance Monday. "I came to Beijing in excellent shape. Today what I was looking for didn't quite happen. What I really wanted was to improve my personal best of 8.73 - I know I'm ready to do that. Today it just didn't happen, but I had many things on my mind," he said. "I'm not totally satisfied, but I've achieved my objective of being Olympic champion and world champion." After partying in Panama, Saladino plans to start training for the London Games, which he said would be his last. "I'll stay in Brazil until London 2012, then end my career with that," he said.
*AP
