Jorge Odelin Rodríguez, the Cuban long jumper who is just 19 years old, finished fourth this Thursday at the Weltklasse Zürich with a mark of 8.32 meters, in one of the most challenging stops on the main athletics circuit in the world.
According to the specialized page DeporCuba on the social network Facebook, the athlete from Sancti Spíritus missed the podium by just one centimeter in a highly competitive event. The victory went to the Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou, who won with a distance of 8.45 meters, while Jamaicans Tajay Gayle (8.43) and Wayne Pinnock (8.33) rounded out the podium. The Cuban Lescay also participated in the event; he does not represent the island's federation and finished eighth with a distance of 7.85 meters.
The result in Switzerland confirms the great moment of Odelin, who arrived in Zurich ranked sixth in the World Athletics long jump world ranking. His performance throughout the season also earned him official qualification for the Diamond League final, scheduled for September 4 and 5 in Brussels, at the King Baudouin Stadium, the venue for the historic Memorial Van Damme.
The young athlete, born on May 16, 2007, is experiencing the best moment of his career. In June, he set the world record under-20 with 8.46 meters at the Envol Trophée Auvergne in France, and at the Diamond League in Monaco, he reached the podium with a jump of 8.38 meters. His fourth-place finish at the Indoor World Championships, with 8.26 meters, rounded out a season record that places him among the best jumpers in the world.
Cuba will reach the final in Brussels with a strong representation. Among the athletes connected to the Cuban Athletics Federation will be Leyanis Pérez and Liadagmis Povea in the women's triple jump, Roxana Gómez in the 400 meters, and Lázaro Martínez in the men's triple jump, as well as Odelin himself in the long jump.
Cuban athletes will also compete independently in Brussels: Davisleydi Velazco in the triple jump, Reynier Mena in the 200 meters, and Kendry Menéndez in the 110-meter hurdles.
Leyanis Pérez arrives at the final in a privileged position: she shares the overall lead in the triple jump circuit with 28 points, tied with the Senegalese Sally Sarr, making the upcoming event in Brussels a high-stakes showdown for Cuban athletics.
The final of the 2026 Diamond League in Brussels will feature 32 events over two days and will be the stage where Odelin will compete again against Tentoglou and the rest of the world elite in long jump.
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