Richmond comes up short in long jump

By SCOTT PITONIAK

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - Rose Richmond didn't reach her goal of qualifying for the Olympic finals in the long jump. But she considers it a great experience, nonetheless - one she believes will benefit her when she plans to make her next trip to the Summer Games in 2008.

That's right, moments after finishing 20th in the qualifying round, the 23-year-old from Indiana already was looking ahead to Beijing, China.

"Although I didn't accomplish what I wanted to, I still believe I learned an awful lot from this experience,'' she said after recording jumps of 21 feet, 2 1/4 inches, 20-1 1/2 and 20-7 1/2 in her three attempts. It took a jump of 21-5 3/4 to advance.

"I now know what the Olympic experience is all about,'' she said. "I'll be better prepared for everything the next time around.''

Including big crowds. Wednesday night, she performed in front 62,000-plus at the Olympic Stadium.

"It was definitely more people than I've ever seen at a competition,'' she said.

Her first jump was her best. The next two, she felt as if she were running in sand.

"I don't know what it was, but I was definitely slower on those last two going down the strip,'' Richmond said. "I just wasn't moving as quickly or as smoothly as I did on the first. I couldn't get it going the way I wanted to.''

Her first Olympic experience was made even more special by the presence of her parents, Viola Nichols and Aubrey Richmond, in the stands.

"Having them here in Greece, watching me compete is something I'll never forget,'' she said. "I only wish I could have done a little better for them.

"I guess you could say that despite the results, this experience was a dream come true for me. I remember being interviewed in the 9th grade and telling people that I was going to compete in the Olympics.''