Osaka (Japan) Sep 1: Irving Saladino had never been in a situation like this.

The world championship long jump favourite from Panama was sitting in second place with one leap remaining in the biggest competition of his life.

Italian Andrew Howe was already celebrating victory after soaring a national record 8.47 metres on his final attempt.

"I was happy, but I was also scared, because I knew he (Saladino) was going to pop out some crazy jump," Howe told a news conference.

The Italian could not have made a better prediction.

As the 24-year-old Saladino hit the takeoff board on his last jump he said he felt like "I was flying,".

His leap of 8.57 metres brought Panama its first gold in the 11 world championships, and made Saladino the man to beat in the Beijing Olympics.

Olympic and twice world champion Dwight Phillips of the United States could only watch.

"They kind of baptised me yesterday," Phillips said."But next year I am going to be ready." Just three years ago, in the Olympic Village in Athens, the 29-year-old Phillips was giving Saladino an autograph.

"He said he was a long jumper," Phillips recalled."Then I saw him in 2005, and I said that was the little kid I just gave that autograph to." He also remembers the now 22-year-old Howe as a teenager who showed up at competitions in Rieti, Italy where Phillips often jumped.

Now they are the three best jumpers in the world.

"It's just great,"Phillips said. ''For so many years I was kind of doing it alone. It's a lot more exciting now."

Reuters
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