Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova may be contemplating a haircut as her long pony tail probably cost her the long jump world title, Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport said on Saturday.
La Gazzetta said that photographic evidence from the broadcast of network RAI showed the swinging pony tail of the Belarussian Mironchyk-Ivanova hit the ground behind her body on landing and its mark in the sand became the measuring point for the competition judges.
The third-round jump on Sunday was measured at 6.74 metres which was only good enough for fourth place. Had her hair not hit the ground the jump would have been around 6.90m which would have given her gold. Instead, American Brittney Reese defended the title, and got 60,000 dollars (42,000 euros), with 6.82m.
