Sport

World Athletics Championships: Diaz gold in the triple jump, first Italian medal

Italia's first medal on the first day of the World Indoor Championships in Poland: the Italian-Cuban triumphs again, this time with a measurement of 17.47, the best world performance of the year

20 March 2026

Il giamaicano Jordan Scott, medaglia d'argento, l'italiano Andy Diaz Hernandez, medaglia d'oro, e l'algerino Yasser Triki, medaglia di bronzo, posano per una foto dopo la finale del salto triplo maschile ai Campionati mondiali di atletica leggera indoor alla Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena di Toruń, in Polonia, il 20 marzo 2026. EPA/Adam Warzawa POLONIA OUT EPA

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Gold plus gold, Torun after Nanjing, Andy Diaz confirmed as world champion in the triple jump.

Italia's first medal on the first day of the World Indoor Championships in Poland: the Italian-Cuban triumphed again, this time with a measurement of 17.47, the best world performance of the year.

He dances like a marvel, Andy. He made his intentions clear as early as the first round of the direct final, gave only 3.7 cm to the batting board and steered the match with a masterful jump.

The pitfalls, in any case, are not lacking. A very solid and growing series for Jamaican Jordan Scott (17.29-17.30-17.33 in the first three jumps), the Algerian Yasser Triki did well (17.17-17.23 then 17.30 in the fourth) but the Italian, followed like a shadow in the stands by coach Fabrizio Donato, is from another planet and despite not improving (16.91-pass-17.08-pass-null) he keeps the sceptre.

Last year in Nanjing it was 21 March: 364 days later, Diaz is again 'dancing' on the top step of the podium at the World Indoor Championships, a gold medal won in the triple in the past only by Paolo Camossi in Lisbon in 2001.

In the 21 editions of the event, only one other Italian athlete, Gennaro Di Napoli, had celebrated two titles: also for him consecutive, over 3000 metres in 1993 and 1995.

In seventh place was the vice world outdoor champion Andrea Dallavalle with 16.90. In the qualifying round of the 1500 metres, Federico Riva did well, winning his battery in fluency with a time of 3'20″52 and becoming a candidate for the medals, while Pietro Arese remained out of the final.

"Over the past year, I have gained confidence and have grown a lot,' said Riva. 'Very happy with how I handled the race, finally on an important stage. Happy for me and for Ludovica Cavalli'. The Ligurian middle distance runner, in fact, also won the pass for the final in the women's 1500, with a special dedication: "It is for my mum who has had some bad illnesses," said Cavalli, moved, "but despite everything, she took a plane and is here with me. She is my rock'.

Marta Zenoni, fifth in her heat with 4:13.17, failed to qualify. The race of Samuele Ceccarelli and Filippo Randazzo in the 60 metres stopped in the semi-finals. Ceccarelli equalled his season best with 6.61 and fifth place in the 'semi' was taken by an impressive Trayvon Bromell (USA, 6.42) and Jamaican Kishane Thompson (6.47).

Randazzo was eighth in his, with 6.66. Also noteworthy were the 6.43 of the other American Jordan Anthony and the 6.45 of the reigning British champion Jeremiah Azu.