Andy Diaz competed in his first race as an Italian citizen, going down to the platform Doha (Qatar) for the first stage of the Diamond League 2023, the top international itinerant athletics circuit. The Cuban-born star got hold of his passport a couple of months ago, but has not yet received the green light from World Athletics (the International Federation) for compete as an Italian in the triple jump.
Let’s explain better: Andy Diaz is our compatriot for the law, but not yet for world sport. Its today’s performance entered the Italian all-time lists, but next to his name, in today’s match report, there will be the Cuban flag. The hope is that this situation will be resolved as soon as possible, with the hope that he will be able to participate in the World Cup scheduled in just over three months in Budapest and above all in the Paris 2024 Olympics).
Andy Diaz conquered a splendid third place with a leap from 17.80 metres signed on the second attempt, but with a favorable wind of 2.6 m/s (therefore higher than the limit of 2 m/s imposed by the regulation to ratify the measures). If the breeze had been regular, we would be talking about the new Italian record, 20 centimeters better than the historic record of Fabrizio Donato (17.60 in 2000), among other things the coach of the 27-year-old. The new Italian is the holder of the trophy and boasts a personal best of 17.70. His roadmap: opening with 17.08 (but 3.0 m/s of wind behind), the aforementioned 17.80, failed on the third attempt, two renunciations and a final failure.
To win the race was the Portuguese Pedro Picardo, also of Cuban descent. The Olympic, World and European Champion triumphed with 17.91 meters (+2.1 m/s), ahead of the Burkinabé Hugues Fabrice Zango (17.81 at the last attempt with a gust of 1.5 m/s, it is the best seasonal world performance for the record holder in the room). The Cuban Lazaro Martinez (17.71, +3.4 m/s) was off the podium, ahead of the Chinese Yaming Zhu (16.95). Seventh place for our Emmanuel Ihemeje, author of 16.85 meters (+1.8 m/s) on the second attempt. The blue had presented himself in Doha as the seasonal world record holder with the 17.29 jumped a few weeks ago.
Foto: Photo LiveMedia/Markus Aeschimann/JustPictures
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