Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez kicked off the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing with an incredible performance, winning the gold medal with a jump of 17.80 meters. This impressive leap not only set a new national record but also made him the best in the world this season.
You can watch live streaming coverage of the World Indoor Championships—Nanjing 25 on Peacock in the United States between March 21 and 23. Follow Timetable and results
His jump placed him fifth on the all-time indoor list and was the third-longest ever recorded at the Indoor Championships. The last time anyone jumped further was in 2010, when Teddy Tamgho set a world record at 17.90 meters.
Even though Diaz Hernandez couldn’t match his record-setting jump later in the event, his opening leap was enough to ensure he took home his first global title. China’s Zhu Yaming finished in second place with a jump of 17.33 meters, while Brazil’s Almir Dos Santos secured the bronze with a jump of 17.22 meters.
Before the competition, Diaz Hernandez was already seen as a strong contender. He had recently won the European indoor title with a leading jump of 17.71 meters.
During the competition, Diaz Hernandez fouled on his second jump and decided to skip his next three attempts, feeling confident about his big leap from the first round. Meanwhile, Zhu impressed the crowd by jumping 17.33 meters in the third round, putting him in the silver medal spot ahead of Dos Santos and China’s Su Wen, who managed 17.09 meters.
In the fourth round, Jamaica’s Jordan Scott jumped 17.10 meters, edging closer to a medal. However, Burkina Faso’s defending champion Hugues Fabrice Zango jumped 17.15 meters in the fifth round, bumping Scott down to fourth place.
The final round didn’t change anyone’s standing, so Dos Santos was confirmed as the bronze medal winner, adding to his previous world indoor silver medal from 2018. After the competition, Diaz Hernandez returned to the runway for one last jump but decided to run through, happy with his victory based on that spectacular jump.
