Olympic and world long-jump champion Greg Rutherford holds on to European crown in Amsterdam
OLYMPIC and world long-jump champion Greg Rutherford proved that silence is GOLDEN — as he held on to his European crown.
Rutherford, who also holds the Commonwealth title and is one of only five Brits in history to hold all four major gold medals in the same cycle, admitted on the eve of these championships that he may never fully recover from an inner ear problem as a result of suffering whiplash while jumping in Birmingham last month.
He admits it becomes worse when there is silence around him.
Cheered on by a sell-out crowd at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, he leapt 8.25m with his fourth effort to clinch gold again ahead of Swedish rival Michel Torneus who had taken the lead with a first round jump of 8.20m.
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Rutherford, 29, who won European gold in Zurich two years ago and will now turn his attentions to defending his Olympic title in Rio next month, said: "Although 8.25m isn't very big it's good enough to be the best of Europe again.
“Now it's about being the best of the world again."
Rutherford had only managed 7.93m in Wednesday's qualifiers but it was still enough to book his place in the showdown as eighth best
He added: "This was number one and I tell you what - after Wednesday I was nervous tonight.
"Within a month I damaged my neck, hurt my knee and wasn't sure what was going to happen. So this is good — it was nice to get out there and take six jumps.
"I now have five major titles and not many athletes can say that."
RICHARD KILTY suffered more misery on the line in the 100m showdown when he was disqualified for false-starting.
He has also false-started at the World Indoor trials in February and was among the favourites to get on the podium here
Kilty said: "I'm heartbroken. I reacted to the gun. That's twice now I've been penalised for the same thing."
Team-mate James Ellington missed out on the medals too finishing fifth in 10.19secs as Dutch sprinter Churandy Martin took 100m gold in 10.07 on home-turf.
Defending champion James Dasaolu had opted to focus on the 4x100m relay here on Sunday.