Sprint queen Schippers may take on long jump

Dutch sprint queen Dafne Schippers, who won the 200 metres gold medal and the 100 silver at last month’s world championships in Beijing, is contemplating taking on the long jump next season. Schippers believes she can leap seven metres, a feat that would put her among the top six performances of 2015. “I want to do something else other than just sprint,” the former heptathlete told a news conference on the eve of Friday’s Diamond League meeting in Brussels.

However, Schippers said she would focus on the 100, 200 and 4 x 400 relay at the Rio Olympics next year.

The long jump is nothing new to the world sprint champion because she holds the Dutch record of 6.78 metres from her heptathlon days. “I train for the long jump every two weeks,” said Schippers.

Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands presents her gold medal as she poses on the podium after the women’s 200 m event during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China, 29 August – File photo