CHRISTIAN TAYLOR

About his relationship to Ostrava

Ostrava is a special place to jump. I have been here years before Hugues Fabrice Zango even started to jump. I am proud to be back at the Golden Spike and I keep my eyes on the trophy. In 2007, I started my international career at World Youth Championship in Ostrava. I did not know what Ostrava had stored for me. It was my first big international meeting and I won gold. It was a special experience. I was seventeen and I was so proud to represent my country. Before I arrived in Ostrava for the first time, I did not even know where it is on the map. Since then it has a special place in my hearth as my journey started here. I believe that it will come to the jump at the meeting tomorrow. It is always the case. (laugh)

About the preparation for the outdoor season

It was a lot of training to get to this point of the season. I train to compete, so this is for me the best time of the year as I can finally show all the hard work that I put in. Tomorrow, I will have the best training partner on the field – Hugues Fabrice Zango – the world indoor record holder. It will be fantastic.

About the upcoming Olympic Games

I do not want to talk about the Olympic Games in Tokyo too much. As you know the USA is the hardest team to make in the whole world. What matters is to make the trials and get in the team. I am focusing on being ready and in a great shape for that. Afterwards I can start talking about Tokyo.

About being the greatest triple jumper

I do not want to talk about being the greatest as I still did not get the world record. To be honest I am a bit jealous about Zango´s career. I was always just the best triple jumper of the day. He is the indoor record holder.

HUGUES ZANGO

About arriving to Ostrava

It is amazing to be here. I am excited to jump against Christian Taylor and I will do my best to get the trophy. Since I jumped over 18 m my mind is open, and I am ready to explore new things. I jumped 17.40 m at the first outdoor meeting this year and it was a good entry, but it was not at a big meeting without real competitors. Tomorrow it will be my first big outdoor meeting.

About his improvements

I believe that I am able to do anything since I jumped world indoor record. Jumping 18.50 m is not a problem if I need to jump it at the Olympic Games to win the gold and beat Christian Talyor. My body is healthy, and my mind is open. For me there is no limit at the moment, and I am ready to explore and achieve great things. Mentally I am capable to do anything. It is a mission for me to get a medal from the Olympic Games in Tokyo. I give it all to make this dream coming true.

About Christian Taylor being his role model

When I started in 2011, I watched Christian Taylor and Teddy Tamgho. They were my role models and it is crazy that Christian is my competitor now. He is my champion; he is the greatest one of all. Jumping against him is a big achievement for me as I realize how much I improved. He is a reminder of how long journey I have been through. I listened to his speeches about the mindset and becoming a champion. I must beat him to prove that I have learned from him.