The Cuban naturalized Spanish athlete Jordan Díaz left the athletics world stunned this Tuesday, after registering a mark of 18.18 meters to take home the gold medal and set national and continental records in the men's triple jump at the European Championship held in Rome, Italy.
Díaz, born in Havana 23 years ago, achieved the best result of the season, the third of all time, and was only 11 centimeters away from the world record held by the British athlete Jonathan Edwards.
The historical classification ended up as follows: Jonathan Edwards (18.29), the American Christian Taylor (18.21), and Díaz, who in his debut representing Spain claimed the title of the top favorite for the Paris 2024 Games.
However, the competition left other interesting notes: the also Cuban Pedro Pablo Pichardo, Olympic and universal monarch with Portugal, nailed his spikes at 18.04 meters to take the silver medal and make it clear that, at his three decades of life, he is like good wine.
Since the classification, both Cubans had shown an excellent state of form and even exchanged (in)direct remarks during the interviews conducted in the mixed zone.
The third position went to the French student Thomas Gogois, with 17.38, although the cameras always looked for the outstanding students from the Cuban school of the discipline.
Undoubtedly, the challenge is set less than two months before the start of Paris 2024, which will mark the debut under the five rings of the young Díaz, currently trained by his compatriot Iván Pedroso, a living legend of long jump.
Pedroso, the title holder of Sydney 2000 and several times world champion in outdoor and indoor events, is one of the most successful coaches in the athletic field, as he also trains the stellar Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, the Spanish athlete Ana Peleteiro -winner of the women's triple jump in Rome- and his compatriot Juan Miguel Echevarría.
The European "Track and Field" party, from June 7 to 12, has among its absences another Cuban who stands out in the men's triple jump and represents the colors of Italy: Andy Díaz, who is among the leaders of the global ranking.
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