Denia Caballero wins the Paris stop of the Diamond League

August 26, 2019

Another good throw of 66.91 meters took Cuban Denia Caballero to first place in the discus throw last Saturday at the Diamond League Athletics stop in Paris, where her compatriot Liadagmis Povea achieved second place in the triple jump.

Although she had only two successful throws, Denia achieved leadership of the meet in the City of Light and also stood alone at the top of the circuit ranking with 30 points, although to win the final prize she must also triumph at the Brussels meet.

The accumulated standings do not determine the Diamond winner, as it used to happen, since for the past two seasons to be crowned one must win in the Belgian capital.

This Saturday second place was taken by Croatian Sandra Perkovic, who apparently is stabilizing her form and recorded 65.01 meters, in addition to completing 23 points and sharing positions two and three of the ranking with Cuban Yaimé Pérez.

The recent winner of the Lima Pan American Games did not show her best "face," as she barely achieved 60.96 meters and was eliminated after the first three throws, by not appearing among the top eight with the right to complete the competition.

This is Yaimé's first "bad" performance, who still holds the top spot in terms of records with the 69.39 meters from July 16 last in Soteville.

An additional note, this is the first time since 2014 that Perkovic has not triumphed in Paris, and Denia is the second Cuban to achieve a first place there since Yarelis Barrios prevailed in 2010.

The other good news for the largest of the Antilles was Povea's second place in a triple jump event won by Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, once again with more than 15 meters.

The student of Cuban Iván Pedroso led with 15.05 meters and left the Cuban behind, once again close to her personal best with the 14.75 recorded from her first attempt.

Povea's best quality, under the direction of the also stellar Yoelbi Quesada, was once again her consistency. She committed no fouls and had among her records 14.42; 14.61 and 15.60 meters.

American Keturah Orji completed the medalists with a third place thanks to 14.72 meters, the best of her life.

In the pole vault, Cuban Yarisley Silva finished off the podium, as the 4.55 meters she achieved left her far from the 4.82 national record with which Canadian Alysha Newman was crowned.

Greek Ekaterine Stefanidi closed second and American Sandi Morris third, both with 4.75 meters.

Stefanidi still leads the standings with 30 points, followed by Morris with 26 and Morris with 22. Yarisley is fifth with 21 points.

In another of the events, American Will Claye stood out with 18.06 meters to win the triple jump, with a meet record included. For the second time this year he surpasses the 18-meter barrier.

That record constitutes the sixth best of all time. Only six men have ever managed to surpass that barrier, with the highest point at 18.29 meters (world record) of British Jonathan Edwards in 1995.