The popular Slovakian undergraduate competes in the F46 category (one arm) and managed to produce a jump of 5.38 metres which was good enough for a silver medal; indeed, the Russian winner was only marginally ahead with a leap of 5.45 metres.
Lenka's achievement is all the more impressive considering she entered the event with relatively little preparation: She had been unable to train in 2009 until September due to a back injury sustained in December 2008. By comparison, her competitors would have benefitted from a full year's cycle of preparation.
Lenka said “It's almost a miracle for me to jump that far. It gives me an impulse to focus even more on my training and compete well for the University over the forthcoming season, I'm so delighted“.
This was a reaction shared by her coach Ben McIlroy, himself a Brunel graduate in Sport Sciences (2005), who commented “It was just an amazing performance - I just wish I'd backed her to win a medal down at Ladbrokes!“ Going forward, Lenka aims to achieve a gold medal in the forthcoming 2012 Paralympics. A Brunel gold on home territory in London is certainly a prospect to be savoured.
Notes to Editors
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