Havana’s Prodigy Shatters World Youth Record in Triple Jump
At the 2017 IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi, the 17-year-old Jordan Diaz, born and raised in Havana, delivered a performance that stunned the global athletics community. Entering the competition with a personal best of 16.66 meters, the prodigious talent unleashed a spectacular third-round leap of 17.00 meters, surpassing his own aspirations. But Diaz was just getting started.
Shattering the World U18 Best
On his next attempt, the vibrant Kasarani Stadium crowd erupted in awe as Diaz catapulted himself to an astonishing distance of 17.30 meters, shattering the previous world U18 best of 17.24 meters held by his compatriot Lazaro Martinez. Diaz’s winning margin of 1.38 meters over his closest competitor underscored the sheer magnitude of his achievement, which also propelled him to seventh on the 2017 senior world list.
“Ricardo kept telling me you can reach 17 metres, and I kept saying ‘no way, 17 metres is too far’,” Diaz recounts. “Then once in Havana I got close (with his previous personal best) and I thought ‘well, I think I’m capable of doing it now’.”
Rapid Rise in the Triple Jump
Diaz’s remarkable rise in the triple jump event has been swift, having initially dabbled in various disciplines before focusing on the event last year. Training alongside two-time world silver medalist Pedro Pablo Pichardo, one of only five men to have jumped beyond 18 meters, has undoubtedly accelerated Diaz’s progress.
The youngster’s performance in Nairobi has not only validated his hard work but also given him the confidence to push the boundaries even further. “My aim was to break my countryman’s world youth best, and now that I’ve reached 17 metres I feel super happy,” Diaz said. “I never really thought I could do that and it proves nothing is impossible.”
Capturing the World’s Attention
Diaz’s accomplishments have captured the attention of his idol, double Olympic champion Christian Taylor of the United States, who took to social media to express his admiration. “How cool is this? Congrats Jordan Diaz! I will never forget this name,” Taylor wrote, sharing the video of Diaz’s world-record leap.
As Diaz continues his ascent, he remains grounded and focused on the future, with his sights set on the 2019 World U20 Championships. While the athletics world eagerly awaits to see how far the young Cuban prodigy can stretch his long legs, Diaz is simply enjoying the ride, eager to celebrate his achievement with friends and family back home in Havana.
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