BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Maurren Maggi of Brazil claimed gold medal in women's long jump by bettering Russian elite Tatyana Lebedeva over one centimeter at the Beijing Olympics here on Friday.

    The champion secured her gold in the first attempt with 7.04 meters, her best performance this season. Lebedeva who took the silver in women's triple jump on Aug. 17, was narrowly behind with 7.03 meters. Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria took the bronze with 6.91 meters.

Gold medalist Maurren Higa Maggi(C) of Brazil, silver medalist Tatyana Lebedeva (L) of Russia and bronze medalist Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria show their medals during the awarding ceremony for the women's long jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Maurren Higa Maggi won the title with 7.04 metres. (Xinhua/Li Ga)  Photo Gallery>>>

    With the 7.04 meters mark, Maggi dominated the first place from the start to the end, despite Lebedeva's remarkable 7.03 meters in her last trials.

    "I'm really happy to win the gold. This is the first gold medal won by a Brazilian woman from a field event," she said.

    "I was so moved to hear the music of the Brazilian national anthem on the podium," said the champion who broke into tears at the medal ceremony.

    "It's not an ending. I'll keep training in the future. I'm 32 years old, but I still can compete, and I'll go to London," she said.

    Maggi's role, in fact, is far beyond a long jumper. She is also the South American record holder at 100 meters hurdles and at long jump, with 12.71 seconds and 7.26 meters respectively. She also has 14.53 meters in the triple jump.

    In 2003, Maurren got tangled in a doping scandal after clostebol was found on her organism, an anti-scarring gel sheet that she used contained the anabolic steroid in its composition. Maurren was suspended for two years, leaving her out of the 2003 Pan American Games, and she gave up the 2004 Olympic Games due to a pregnancy.

    "You know what, doping happens. It was a bad accident for me, since I was only able to compete for two years. I knew I still have things to do. I want to come back and compete in track and field. This is my last chance. I reach the gold gradually. At the very beginning it was difficult and I was scared. However, things gradually changed. Today I come back with gold. It's unbelievable," she told a news conference held after the match.

    For Lebedeva, the Athens champion and winner of the three of the last four world championships, a silver is far from satisfaction after she tried her luck and failed in the critical last jump.

    But later, the elite jumper peacefully accepted her fifth Olympic medal, a silver as she put it: "Life will continue."

    "Of course I didn't want to be in this place. But sport is beautiful. Sport is fighting. Here in the Olympics, it's not the strongest who wins. It's coincidence of luck. Maggi got all the luck, all the strengths today. I was fighting. I was struggling until the very end."

    Athens 2004 heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden, who had decided to concentrate on the long and triple Jumps in Beijing 2008, finished ninth with 6.49 meters. "Today I didn't jump too good. I didn't take my speed with me to the board," she admitted.

    "We'll see. Hopefully, I can do both the heptathlon and the long jump," she said.

Gold medalist Maurren Higa Maggi(C) of Brazil cries during the awarding ceremony for the women's long jump final at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 22, 2008. Maurren Higa Maggi won the title with 7.04 metres. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

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