By Mitch Phillips TOKYO (Reuters) -Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo won the world triple jump gold medal after the most extraordinary finale on Friday as Italy’s Andrea Dallavalle thought he had snatched it with a huge final jump, only for his rival to respond with a massive 17.91 metres. Returning to the site of his 2021 Tokyo […]
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Athletics-Pichardo takes dramatic triple jump gold with last leap
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By Mitch Phillips
TOKYO (Reuters) -Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo won the world triple jump gold medal after the most extraordinary finale on Friday as Italy’s Andrea Dallavalle thought he had snatched it with a huge final jump, only for his rival to respond with a massive 17.91 metres.
Returning to the site of his 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold, Pichardo, the 2022 world champion, seemed to be cruising to a routine victory after twice landing 17.55 jumps.
Dallavalle was sitting fifth and struggling for rhythm, but somehow got it together to land a massive personal best of 17.64. Pichardo, though, was unfazed and duly delivered the longest jump this season to regain top spot and the gold medal.
“It’s a city I will keep with me my whole life – Olympic champion, world champion,” said a beaming Pichardo. “My father didn’t let me stop. He asked me to do at least this year, 2025.
“I always say that he’s the one who is going to decide when I should end up my career and this medal is for him. It will stay in his house. He is the person who has been working and keeping me strong mentally.
“Last year my mind wasn’t very good. I wanted to retire but my father and coach have been helping me a lot.”
Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez, silver medallist in 2023, finished third with 17.49, while Algeria’s Yasser Mohammed Triki, who was sitting in third place all night after his opening jump of 17.25, slipped to an agonising fourth.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips; editing by Alex Richardson and Ken Ferris)