Like many Panamanians, Irving Saladino dreamt of a baseball career in the United States. Good thing for his country, he changed his mind.

The shaven-headed long jumper won his nation's first Olympic gold medal yesterday, ending a 60-year stretch where Panama had failed to achieve Olympic success of any kind.

The 2007 world champion won with a best jump of 8.34 meters - 10 centimetres longer than world indoor champion Khotso Mokoena of South Africa, who took silver. Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba was third at 8.20.

"I'm just waiting to get to Panama - to see if it's going to be a wild party," the 25-year-old said. "To be an Olympic champion is much better than being a world champion. The truth is it's a medal I really had to fight for."

The victory ended a virtual US lock on the event. In the modern Olympics, Americans have won the long jump 22 of 26 times with stars such as Carl Lewis, Bob Beamon and Jesse Owens. The reigning Olympic champion, Dwight Philips, did not make the US squad this time around.

Saladino not only wore his national colours on his vest, but also on his shoes: one was blue, the other red. After his jump, he wrapped himself in a flag and ran round the stadium, sticking his tongue out playfully at the cameras.

The celebrations were a long time coming. The last time the country saw success in the games was in 1948 when Lloyd LaBeach won bronze in the 100 and 200 metres.