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One last golden chance for May as motherhood beckons
Roman SYDNEY, Sept 17 (AFP) - Italian long jumper Fiona May, who began her international career with her native Great Britain, goes for an elusive Olympic gold for the last time at the Sydney Olympics. American Marion Jones, hoping for five gold medals, is the principle obstacle for May who many felt was cheated of gold in Atlanta four years ago when she had to settle for silver behind Nigeria's Chioma Ajunwa, an athlete who had just served a four-year ban for doping offences. And May plans to quit after next year's World Championships in Edmonton, Canada to start a family, meaning it's Sydney or bust. The long jump is seen as the most vulnerable event for Jones, and 1997 world champion May was flattered when the American admitted that the woman born in Slough, England and now resident at Croci di Calenzano near Florence, Italy was her principal challenger. "It pleased me when she said I was her biggest rival but I don't believe it," admitted May. "There are many of us who can win gold. You only have to look at the results of the head-to-head matches this year." May was also unlucky to miss gold in the Seville World Championships last year when Spain's Niurka Montalvo's winning leap was controversially allowed even though she seemed to overstep the mark. Montalvo will not be competing in Sydney as her former homeland Cuba has vetoed her participation under article 46 of the Olympic charter, and May believes her time may have come. "These are my Games," said May. "I am at the peak of my sporting career, I am 30 and this is my fourth participation (in the Olympics)." Although she lacks the pace in the run-up of sprint queen Jones the 30-year-old May believes she makes up for that in terms of jumping ability. "I am very fine as I am," said May. "If I was faster, I would probably not be capable of jumping as I do at the moment." If the year 2000 is the yardstick then May is the woman to beat. Her best mark of 7.09m is the longest leap in the world since the dawn of the new millennium while the best effort from Jones is 7.02m. But the former Leeds University student admits she is jaded after 16 years in athletics and plans to start a family with husband Gianni Ipachino (a pole vault specialist) after Edmonton. "Athletics has been my life since I was 14," she said. "After Edmonton next year I want to rest and have a baby. If it's a girl she will probably be extroverted like Gianni. If it's a boy I imagine she will be quiet like me." In the intervening time she plans to play golf, cook and sleep. After Sydney and before Edmonton there is one more fixture in May's diary - the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) Grand Prix Final in Doha -- and another showdown with Jones.
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