14 August 2012

British triple jumper Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh), who celebrates her 40th birthday today, will take on Kazakhstan’s Olympic triple jump champion Olga Rypakova, as well as Olympic bronze medallist and current World Champion Olha Saladuha of Ukraine, at the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix at the Alexander Stadium on Sunday 26 August.

Aldama, who continues to show impressive durability in remaining at the top of her sport 15 years after her first major championships, jumped 14.48m in her Olympic final on Sunday 5th. With a recent shoulder injury affecting her pre-Games build-up however, she was well below her 2012 best of 14.82m and finished in fifth place.

Although the current World Indoor Champion was disappointed with the end result, Aldama is already looking forward to facing Rypakova and Saladuha again.

“The Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix will give me a chance to go up against another world-class field and I’m determined to put on a good performance in front of another amazing crowd at the Alexander Stadium. Taking on the Olympic Champion and the World Champion again is the perfect chance to show what I can really do.”

"I’ve just been so unlucky with this injury. Every time I’m in real good shape something happens. That’s the bit that really hurts me most. But I’m fine, I’m back in training, you’re not going to get rid of me yet."

London 2012 was particularly frustrating for Aldama after such a promising start to the year which saw her win her first major championship title in Istanbul her winning jump of 14.82m from the World Indoor Championships would have seen her come away with a silver medal in London.

"I could have jumped the distance [at the Olympics]. It was me, my responsibility, I know I can jump those distances. I know I could win that medal but it wasn’t to be.

"I’m going to use that frustration about the Olympic final to push me further and train even harder. I’m looking forward to getting back into competition in Birmingham in a couple of weeks."

Olympic Champion Rypakova, who was also a silver medallist behind Saladuha at the World Championships in Daegu last year, is excited about competing in Birmingham for the first time.

“I really enjoyed competing in London at the Olympics and now that I’ve won Olympic gold, I can’t wait to jump in Britain again at the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix. It will be another great competition and I will have to make sure I’m at my best again. I’m sure the girls will be targeting me now but I’m looking forward to it. 

Further additions to the world-class line-up in Birmingham include Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams, who matched Aldama’s 14.48m in the Olympic final, bronze medallist at the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Doha.

Back the team and watch the world’s best athletes in action at the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on 26 August. Live coverage on BBC1 from 1.30-5pm.