Yomi Omogbeja (03/08/2004)

Sudan's Yamile Aldama has raised a fresh hope of an Olympic medal in Athens for the troubled African country.

The former Cuban athlete jumped 15.28m, the third-longest jump in the world this year, at the IAAF meeting in Linz, Austria.

Aldama thus set a new African record and seasons best performance in the women's triple jump.

The 31-year-old told journalists afterwards she "knew she was going to jump well".

Aldama who lives in London and is married to a Briton wanted to compete for Britain, but was refused a British passport.

Without any blood ties or otherwise to Sudan, she opted for the troubled African nation and was granted nationality in January.

Her winning mark is second only to the 28-year-old Russian flyer Tatyana Lebedeva, who tops the world rankings with a jump of 15.34m.

Jamaican Trecia Smith finished second with a new national record of 15.16m on her final attempt while American Tiombe Hurd was placed third with 14.03m.

Aldama also won the Triple jump for Sudan at the 14th African Athletics Championships in Congo, Brazzaville last month.