2009 SU Update: Olympic Champion Best Contender for Universiade Gold

 Nélson Évora, Portuguese Olympic Triple Jump Champion (2008)

FADU, the Portuguese FISU Member Association confirmed the presence of Olympic triple jump champion Nélson Évora (20/04/84) at the 2009 Summer Universiade. No doubt his presence will juice-up the triple jump competition and media attention at this year’s World University Summer Games.

At twenty-four, Nelson Évora has already reached major titles in his short sports career. In 2007, at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, Nélson Évora won the triple-jump gold medal with a spectacular 17.74m jump, the second best world leading result and a Portuguese national record.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he pursued his childhood dream: to become an Olympic champion. And proving that even in poor weather conditions he performs well, he ended the competition with a gold-winning 17.67m jump.

En route to the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany and foreseeing the 2012 London Olympics, Nelson wants to add the Universiade gold to his already stunning collection.

Jessica Augusto running towards a gold medal at the 2007 SU

Portugal will line-up another track star which one wants to keep a close eye upon. Jéssica Augusto (08/11/81) is one of the most recognized track & field athletes in Europe, with numerous titles and records to her credit. Already a double Olympic athlete, Jessica will go onto her 3rd Universiade and looks to improve her impressive participation in the 24th Universiade Bangkok (2007) when she set a new 5,000m Universiade record winning the gold. Jéssica Augusto has been considered the natural successor to other great past glories of Portuguese athletics and is at present regarded unquestionably as one of the best national athletes. She will clearly be one to follow closely on the track in Belgrade.