SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (July 6) — Venezuelan star jumper Yulimar Rojas, the reigning Olympic and World Champion, produced a dazzling performance at the 2023 CAC Games to set a new Games record and win the gold medal in the women’s triple jump event on Wednesday night.
Rojas, who already holds the world record at 15.74 meters, achieved a remarkable 15.16 meters in the competition, surpassing the previous game record of 14.92 meters set by Catherine Ibarguen of Colombia in 2018. The performance was also a world-leading effort as Rojas became only the first woman to exceed the 15-meter mark this season.
The competition, held at the Estadio Nacional Jorge El Mágico González, was of high quality, with the top three finishers achieving the three best women’s triple jump marks in the world this season. – Read more: Day 3 CAC Games 2023 results on July 4
Rojas opened the competition with her world-leading big leap and although she scratched on four of her six attempts, the 27-year-old three-time world champion was in total control throughout, as she also recorded a 15.02-meter jump in the fifth round.
Cuban athletes Leyanis Pérez and Liadagmis Povea followed Rojas in the rankings, with Pérez, the 4th place finisher at the 2022 World Championships, achieving a personal best of 14.98 meters and Povea, the Olympic Games 5th place finisher reaching 14.85 meters, also a season’s best.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 12.61 seconds. The Puerto Rican, who also set the CAC Games record at 12.60 seconds in the heats earlier in the week, has now extended her season-long win streak to nine successive victories in the event.
Greisys Roble of Cuba secured the silver medal behind Camacho-Quinn with 12.94 seconds, while Costa Rico’s Andrea Vargas finished with the bronze with 13.02secs.
In the sprints, Alexander Ogando from the Dominican Republic clocked a swift 19.99 seconds (-0.3 m/s) to dominate the men’s 200m, while Jamaica’s Yanique Dayle won the women’s 200m title with a time of 22.80secs (-0.7 m/s), adding to the silver medal she won the 100m.
In other Day 4 CAC Games 2023 track and field results, Handal Roban set a new St Vincent and the Grenadines national record with 1:45.93 to win the men’s 800m, and Cuba’s Rose Almanza won the women’s race with 2:01.75.
The men’s Hammer Throw title, meanwhile, went to Jerome Vega of Puerto Rico, who threw 74.83m to beat Mexico’s Diego del Real, who finished with a mark of 74.57m.
Shane Brathwaite of Barbados just edged out Cayman’s Rasheem Brown in the men’s 110m hurdles with both athletes credited with a time of 13.64 seconds.
Women’s Triple Jump Final at the CAC Games 2023:
- Yulimar Rojas (VEN) – 15.16m (Game Record)
- Leyanis Pérez (CUB) – 14.98m (Personal Best)
- Liadagmis Povea (CUB) – 14.85m (Season’s Best)
- Thea Lafond (DMA) – 14.42m
- Mairy Pires (VEN) – 13.43m (Season’s Best)
- Tamara Myers (BAH) – 13.31m
- Thelma Fuentes (CCS) – 13.04m
- Natrena Hooper (GUY) – 12.61m (Season’s Best)
- Rebeca Barrientos (ESP) – 11.89m
