Pedro Pichardo kept the suspense alive until the very end of the men’s triple jump final at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, but ultimately he reclaimed the world crown.
The Portuguese jumper had led the competition for most of the evening with 17.55m, only to see Italy’s Andrea Dallavalle snatch the lead on his final attempt with 17.64m. Under pressure, Pichardo called on the support of the Tokyo crowd – who had eyes only for him – and soared to 17.91m to seal the victory and reclaim the world title he first won in Oregon in 2022.
Also a two-time silver medallist (2013, 2015), Pichardo continues to display remarkable consistency and longevity. Having missed the 2023 World Championships in Budapest due to a back injury, his return to Tokyo couldn’t have been better timed – in the stadium where he captured Olympic gold in 2021.
“I was scared, but I always leave a bit for the last jump,” said Pichardo. “My wife doesn’t like it much, she always says I have to give it my all on the first jump, so if what happened today happens I have the energy to respond. And I did. In the fifth, I saved a little bit of energy and now we have a victory.
“I wasn’t planning to use all my jumps and was ready to skip the last one. When Andrea took the lead, that shook me up a bit, but I knew I still had it in me to jump again.
“It’s a city I will keep with me my whole life – Olympic champion, world champion,” he added. “My father didn’t let me stop. He asked me to do at least this year, 2025. I always say that he is the one who is going to decide when I should end up my career. This medal is for my father. 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.”
Dallavalle, meanwhile, had been seen as an outside medal contender rather than a favourite. Having finished just off the podium in Oregon three years ago, history seemed to be repeating itself for the 2022 European silver medallist – until his final attempt.
Sitting in fourth place, just one centimetre off the podium, he rose to the occasion with a personal best of 17.64m, delivered when it mattered most.
Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez – no stranger to the big stage – completed the podium. The 2023 world silver medallist and 2022 world indoor champion secured bronze with a jump of 17.49m. At 27, he once again proved his consistency among the global elite.
The evening’s heartbreak fell to Algeria’s Yasser Mohammed Triki, who for a moment believed his long-awaited first outdoor world medal was within reach. Having narrowly missed out on medals at both the Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 World Championships (finishing fifth in both), the 2024 world indoor silver medallist placed fourth with 17.25m, overtaken at the last moment by Dallavalle.
It was also a frustrating night for Italy’s Andy Diaz. The 2024 Olympic bronze medallist and world leader this year with 17.80m could only manage sixth place with 17.19m. Jamaica’s Jordan Scott edged him out for fifth with 17.21m.
This final also marked the last appearance of Hugues Fabrice Zango before his retirement. The 32-year-old from Burkina Faso bowed out with a seventh-place finish, his best jump measured at 16.92m on his fourth attempt. Outdoor world champion in 2023 and world indoor champion in 2024, Zango also won silver (2022) and bronze (2019) at previous outdoor championships.
He leaves a lasting legacy, having blazed a trail for African athletes in the triple jump. With his world indoor record of 18.07m set in 2021, Zango holds the eighth-best jump in history and remains the first – and only – African to surpass the mythical 18.00m barrier.
“I’m at peace with my decision to retire,” said Zango. “But I will miss the crowd – especially a crowd of 60,000 people – and I think I’ll miss that adrenaline a little bit too. Still, other missions await me. I’ll try to put my athlete’s energy into something new. I have a PhD in electrical engineering, so I’ll start by teaching in Africa in that field. At the same time, I’m working to grow my company in electricity and engineering. But athletics will always have a place in my life. I have a foundation that helps young athletes from Burkina Faso get into American universities. In a few years, you’ll see the Burkina Faso flag flying at the very top.”
Louis Boulay for World Athletics
Produced as part of the World Athletics Media Academy project
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