Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez produced a commanding performance to end Yulimar Rojas’ era of dominance in the women’s triple jump at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Thursday (18). The 23-year-old Cuban leapt to a season’s best of 14.94m to deny the Venezuelan star a record-extending fifth successive world title.
Olympic champion Thea LaFond of Dominica claimed silver with 14.89m, while Rojas, returning after two years out through injury, settled for bronze with 14.76m. The result marked the first time since 2017 that Rojas failed to top the global podium.
Full Results
- Leyanis Pérez Hernández (CUB) – 14.94m
- Thea LaFond (DMA) – 14.89m
- Yulimar Rojas (VEN) – 14.76m
- Liadagmis Povea (CUB) – 14.72m
- Shanieka Ricketts (JAM) – 14.56m
- Saly Sarr (SEN) – 14.55m
- Jasmine Moore (USA) – 14.51m
- Ackelia Smith (JAM) – 14.37m
- Neja Filipič (SLO) – 14.03m
- Caroline Joyeux (GER) – 14.00m
- Maja Åskag (SWE) – 13.92m
- Tuğba Danışmaz (TUR) – 13.43m
Perez Hernandez, the world indoor champion earlier this year, stamped her authority from the opening round with a 14.85m effort. She steadily improved to 14.90m in the third round before landing her winning 14.94m in the fourth, which she later matched in the sixth attempt.
Rojas began strongly with a 14.76m jump, but could not find further improvement and was pushed into third when LaFond delivered her best mark in the final round to snatch silver. LaFond’s achievement made her Dominica’s first-ever female world medalist, adding to her Olympic and world indoor triumphs.
The victory capped off a dream season for Perez Hernandez, who now holds both the world indoor and outdoor titles, underlining her position as the new queen of the triple jump.