Leyanis Pérez: World Gold in Triple Jump!

September 18, 2025

It finally happened, and despite being expected, it's no less enjoyable. Definitely Leyanis Pérez establishes herself as the best in the world in the triple jump and manages to defeat all her rivals in strength, including the phenomenal Yulimar Rojas, returning to competition with a bronze after two years of absence.

Above all, the Cuban woman displayed her talent and flew to an unreachable 14.94 m. Undisputed leader of the season, more than enough power, consistency, passion for a specialty that has seen her rise at just 23 years old.

The native, universal champion this year indoors, followed the best traditions and from her first jump opened the competition with 14.85 m. Then everyone tried to go further, but only Dominican Thea Lafond (14.89 m) was able to surpass that mark in her sixth attempt, and in doing so displaced Yulimar to the bronze medal with a jump of 14.76 m.

However, Leyanis' sequence had already grown, with a 14.90 m in the third round, the decisive 14.94 in the next one, to repeat that mark in the sixth, when she already knew she was winning but had in mind her goal of reaching 15 meters.

For now that barrier still eludes her, although it seems to be a matter of time. Even so, the Cuban leaves Tokyo with the season's leading mark, in a competition where the other medalists also surpassed themselves in 2025. For the first time Leyanis establishes herself in an outdoor world championship, after her fourth place finish in Eugene 2022 and the bronze in Budapest 2023.

It's a rising career. That's why she herself took the sign bearing her name on her chest and raised it toward the stands, then paraded the flag around the National Stadium in Tokyo.

It represents the confirmation of a name that marks women's triple jump in recent years, an honor to a country that now conquers its third gold and its seventh medal in the history of outdoor world championships. Only Russia has more medals in these competitions than the Queen of the Antilles.

Behind the medalists also finished Cuban Liadagmis Povea, now with a best jump of 14.72 m to improve her sixth place finish in Budapest 2023 and confirm herself at the top of the specialty. At the Paris Olympics the world also saw her fall short of the podium.

Now the also Pinar-born athlete had another very stable sequence, with her four initial jumps fixed at 14.67 m, 14.62 m, 14.72 m and 14.66 m. For her it's her second world final after the sixth place finish in Budapest 2023.

This represents the fourth time in history that Cuba has managed to place two triple jumpers in a world final. The debut and best performance of all occurred in Berlin 2009, when Yargelis Savigne and Mabel Gay made a phenomenal one-two. Later, Mabel finished fourth and Yargelis sixth in Daegu 2011, while in Budapest 2023 Leyanis and Povea themselves finished third and sixth.

For the Island it's its second medal in Tokyo 2025, after Silinda Morales' bronze in the discus throw. Both medals place Cuba in eighth place in a table led by the United States (8-1-3), Kenya (4-1-2) and Canada (3-0-0).