Cuba Concludes World Athletics Championships with Stellar Performance

Mario Díaz's fifth-place finish in the discus throw, with a remarkable distance of 64.71 meters, marked the end of Cuba's participation in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. This performance is celebrated as the island's finest in recent years. Under the guidance of coach Hilda Elisa Ramos, Díaz excelled in the rainy conditions, maintaining a solid series with only one foul, which secured his spot among the global elite. "I was doing well this year, but this result surprised me; I'm very happy," he shared with JIT after the event. The competition was won by Sweden's Daniel Stahl with 70.47 meters, followed by Lithuania's Mykolas Alekna (67.84 m) and Samoa's Alex Rose (66.96 m).

The Cuban delegation wrapped up the World Championships with one gold medal, claimed by Leyanis Pérez in the triple jump, and two bronze medals won by Silinda Morales (discus) and Lázaro Martínez (triple jump). This impressive haul placed Cuba 16th in the medal standings, which was topped by the United States, Kenya, and Canada. In the points table, Cuba also secured the 16th position with 32 points, thanks to contributions from Liadagmis Povea (4th in triple jump) and Roxana Gómez (6th in the 400 meters, setting a national record of 49.48 seconds).

Noteworthy performances also came from newcomer Anisleidis Ochoa, who set a new Cuban record in the 5000 meters (15:31.35), and Daily Cooper, who achieved a personal best in the 800 meters (1:58.16). Such outcomes were far from anticipated, with the only certain expectation being a medal for Leyanis, regardless of its color. Ultimately, the team secured three medals, surpassing many predictions.

Securing a world title, something not achieved since Doha 2019, alongside setting two national records, suggests that athletics will remain among the top sports in Cuba by 2025, as noted by official journalist Eyleen Ríos, a special correspondent for JIT.

The triple jump event in Tokyo 2025 reiterated that the Cuban school continues to set the global standard, albeit under different flags. The gold medal was claimed by Pedro Pablo Pichardo, a Cuban nationalized Portuguese, with an impressive leap of 17.91 meters. Meanwhile, the bronze went to Martínez, the only official Cuban representative in the final, who recorded a season-best of 17.49 meters.

The men's triple jump final had a distinctly Cuban flavor. Of the six athletes nurtured in Cuba who reached Tokyo, three made it to the final stage: Pichardo (Portugal), Andy Díaz (Italy), and Martínez (Cuba). However, only two reached the podium. The most notable absence was Jordan Díaz, the current Olympic champion representing Spain, who was sidelined by an injury during the qualifying round.