Sweden's Christian Olsson still thinks he can learn a few things from the man he has succeeded as world triple jump champion.
Olsson won the gold with a leap of 17.72 metres on the same day his predecessor Jonathan Edwards retired from the sport.
Briton Edwards, 37, announced before the championships began that they would be his last competition.
The world record holder, who injured his ankle earlier in the month, jumped twice in Monday's final but struggled to find his form.
He recorded 14.06 metres and 16.31 before pulling out of the event.
But Olsson said Edwards's style was still the model to follow.
"I still think he's the ideal triple jumper. I still have a little bit to go before I get there.
"Technically, he is a better runner than I am. He has a better build for running fast but my technique is better than his," the 23-year-old Swede told reporters.
"But I could see his balance wasn't what it should be and that's maybe why he's retired."
Edwards became the first man to go beyond 18 metres when he broke the world record twice in successive jumps at the 1995 Gothenburg world championships.
He won every major title, simultaneously holding the Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European titles for a short period in 1992.
Olsson, who has a personal best of 17.77 metres, said his competitive rivalry with Edwards had helped him progress quicker in the sport.
His victory in Paris was the fourth time he had beaten Edwards this season, including at the world indoor championships which he won.
"Jonathan helped me cross a lot of thresholds and take steps that maybe would've taken longer had I been alone jumping.
"But I'm performing so well and I know what it takes to jump 18 metres so, although Jonathan is retiring, my motivation will still be as high to do that."
© 2024 Rediff.com -