BRIEFS. sports

Saladino leaps to gold medal

After three months away from competition because of an ankle injury, Panama's world champion long jumper Irving Saladino returned to action in winning fashion by capturing the gold medal at the Grand Prix Caixa de Río de Janeiro.

Saladino recorded a mark of 8.39 meters to easily win the event for the third consecutive year.

After the win, he said he was disappointed that he was not able to break the meet record he set in 2006 with a leap of 8.56 meters, but was happy that he set his personal best for the year.

This was Saladino's first outdoor meet of the year as he prepares for the Summer Olympics.

His next competition will be in Germany on June 1.

Panama's other entrant, Andrea Ferris, was eighth in the women's 800 meters. She finished about 8 seconds behind the winner, Meskerem Assefa of Ethiopia, who recorded a time of 2:02.12.