Nafi Thiam is the third athlete to complete the Grand Slam by becoming the reigning European, world and Olympic champion in one discipline. In Berlin she added a European gold medal to her trophy cabinet. “Every title is different," a relaxed Thiam said at the pre-event press conference. "After my Olympic and world titles I felt more pressure, but this new title means a lot to me. It’s hard to compare. I am proud of what I achieved in Berlin, but it’s never been my goal to get those titles. I just wanted to push myself to keep getting better.”
Thiam is well-rested to perform on a high level in front of her home crowd at the AG Memorial Van Damme. “After the European championships my season was pretty much done, but I enjoy coming to the Memorial to celebrate with the Belgian public. I think I have something left in the legs for tomorrow. I didn’t lie on the beach for two weeks!"
The 24-year-old hopes to equal her performance from Berlin, where she cleared 1m90 as part of the heptathlon. “I feel ready to jump and 1m90 should definitely be possible. Two metres? That’s going to be difficult. But with the support of the fans you never know …"
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