Ida Andrea Breigan flies high – and not least far – during the day. The 19-year-old has in a short time established himself as one of Norwegian athletics’ great hopes for the future. Earlier this month, she erased Berit Berthelsen’s 57-year-old Norwegian record for length. Two weeks later, Breigan improved his own record to 6.58 metres. – It is very fun and great when things like this happen. So it’s just a matter of taking it with you, having it as a pleasant experience and using it as motivation, she says on a video link from the USA. See the record jump here: Breigan is from Fredrikstad, but traveled to the USA to study at the University of Texas at San Antonio after graduating. The great talent tells about a perfect scheme run by the school, where everything is arranged so that she can follow her sporting dreams. After the record jump, she was awarded the “Freshman of the Year” award. – It is quite heavy, so I was a little afraid of gaining weight on the flight home. It’s incredibly fun to have this motivation at home, and now I can look at it every time I wake up, she smiles and shows off the trophy. PROUD: Breigan shows off the trophy as proof that she is “Freshman of the Year”. Photo: news – Destroy the competition Just as Breigan is about to make his big breakthrough, the International Athletics Federation (World Athletics) is considering making major changes in the long-distance sport. The head of the association Joe Ridgeon recently revealed that they want to remove the plank in the long jump. It will be replaced by a “take-off zone” – an area the athletes must take their bets from. The jumps will then be measured from where you take off to where you land, but there will not be the same requirement to time the approach. – I think it ruins the competition and the practice. It will be a completely new exercise, says Breigan, who has worked extremely hard to perfect the approach and rate recently. She is supported by multi-sport champion Sander Skotheim, who has length as part of his competition. – I’m not a big fan of it. It is part of the charm to hit behind the plank, so I feel it takes something away, he says to news. NOTE THE NAME: Ida Andrea Breigan. Photo: PRIVAT World Athletics bases the request on the fact that there are too many disallowed jumps – that is, that the athletes pull over the plank before they bet. During the World Athletics Championships last summer, one third of the jumps were cancelled, according to the association. – It doesn’t work, it’s a waste of time. So we will test a “takeoff zone”. Then every jump will be valid, something that increases the drama in the competition, Ridgeon said in the Anything But Footy podcast. – Shockingly and strangely, Breigan is not the only one who is surprised, because the proposal has met with massive opposition. Among other things from the legendary Carl Lewis, who wondered if it was an early April Fool’s joke. – Length is one of the most difficult exercises in athletics. This will remove one of the most difficult skills needed in practice. Maybe the basket should be made bigger because so many miss free throws? says the former Olympic champion sarcastically. The world champion from 2023 Ivana Spanovic votes in. STAR: Ivana Spanovic is the reigning world champion. Photo: AP – They change the rules without asking those who run the sport. They ignore their views and do not respect their opinions, the Serb says. Breigan says that the proposed rule change has become a big topic of discussion in the athletics environment at the school. – The rate is one of the most important things. The fact that you have practiced it so much, and then suddenly it doesn’t count anymore. I think it was very shocking and strange when I first heard about it, she says. The new rule will go through a trial period this season. news has asked World Athletics for a comment on the criticism, so far without a response. Breigan is good at staying focused on training. At university, she is coached by former WC silver winner Kareem Streete-Thompson. – It is incredibly rewarding to have him as a coach. He has so much to offer and is very focused on details. I am very pleased that he is my coach, says the 19-year-old, who was Norwegian champion both indoors and outdoors last year. COACH AND STUDENT: Breigan together with coach Streete-Thompson. Photo: PRIVAT She has been interested in athletics since childhood. Dad Bo Breigan was in the top 800 meters in Norway, while mum Mimi Storm-Hansen is a former Norwegian high jump champion. Good genes, in other words. – I can thank them a little for that, she grins. “Should I bear to go through this? The great talent has been through some tough periods of injury in recent years. A tiring injury and a hamstring strain plagued her for a long time. – It is one of the toughest things one can go through as an athlete, says Breigan. – How did you work your way back from that? – I was still young when I first got injured. There was a period when I was very bored and thought “will I be able to go through this?”. But it’s moments like this that make it worth it. When you get paid for what you have worked for, says the new record holder. TEAM: Breigan also ran relays with the school team. Here together with Ibizo David-West, Kiah Dubarry-Gay and Vivienne Morgenstern. Photo: PRIVAT Breigan is 12 centimeters behind the requirement for the EC outdoors in June. But she is still young and the big championships will come when they come, she thinks. – I have it in the back of my mind, and it would have been incredibly fun. But above all I try to jump as far as I can and make the best of the competitions here in the USA now, concludes Norway’s new long-distance star. Who is news’s new expert? 00:45 No one had managed this for over 80 years 01:05 Here they try a unique jump 01:08 Hides the chocolate when he is filmed 00:44 Show more
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Ida Andrea Breigan is Norway’s new long-distance star – fears new rule will destroy the sport – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
