Inglorious overcoming: Pishardo flies further than 18 meters, but finishes second

The Portuguese Pedro Pablo Pichardo returned this Tuesday to jump 18 meters, nine years later, in the “show” of the triple jump final at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, in which he was second behind the Spaniard Jordan Diaz.

“It was crazy! It was a good “show” when we were both over 18,” Pisciardo began in the mixed zone of the Olympic Stadium in Rome, as he was greeted by several journalists despite the lack of routine. did not take first place on the podium.

Pichardo jumped 18.04 metres, a new national record, six centimeters better than the 17.98 that won him a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, leaving him 14 centimeters behind Jordan Diaz, who also broke the Spanish record , surpassing the Portuguese in the run. history of Europeans.

Pichardo was also asked about competition and sometimes rivalry with Jordan Diaz, as well as Andy Diaz, whose naturalization in Italy takes effect in the sport on August 1, as well as Jamaican Jadon Hibbert, Cuban Lazaro Martinez or Hugues Fabris. Zango from Burkina Faso.

“It was very good, I’m very good physically. We are in the fight,” repeated Pishardo, 30, automatically, referring to the results of the triple jump in Rome in 2024 and the challenge posed in this discipline for the future, which will obviously come on August 9 next year, the date of the triple final of the 2024 Games in Paris.

Pichardo started the competition with a score of 17.51, was passed by Diaz with a score of 17.56 and took the lead with a new national record (18.04), with the Spaniard attempting to respond with scores of 17.82 and 17.96, while as the Portuguese remained stable with a result of 17.55, losing the fourth jump and 17.47.

“I never believed that I won. I always waited because I have been in the C for many years and already know when an athlete can or cannot reach a milestone. I knew that I was close,” he admitted while speaking. to the Lusa agency.

However, the tide of the competition changed as Diaz took the lead with a score of 18.18 – the third highest jump ever, just behind the world record set by Britain’s Jonathan Edwards (18.29) and North American Christian Taylor (18.21).

Pishardo recalled that he “hasn’t jumped 18 meters since 2015”, but today showed that he has already recovered well from the physical problems that prevented him from participating in the Budapest 2023 World Championships and the Glasgow 2024 Closed World Championships.

“Today we showed that we have the mentality to jump 18 meters, that we are ready. Today, jumping 17.80 or 17.90 is not particularly surprising, I think we are all capable of it,” he told Lusa.

Regarding the final, Pishardo assured that “I didn’t have any strategy other than to try my best.” “Day before yesterday [no domingo]I already warned that it would be good, and I jumped 18 meters, so today I warn you that it will be good in Paris too.”

A historic final that only had parallels with the 2015 Diamond League event in Doha, when Taylor also lost the final with a jump of 18.04…against Pichardo, who scored 18.06 while still Cuban.

“I haven’t done this since 2015, but in terms of parameters I was lower, I don’t know if it’s related to the track. I didn’t really like these conditions, as you know, I’m not very good on the indoor track, and this platform was similar to this one, so let’s go to Paris to look,” promised the Olympic champion, who, unable to confirm his title, added to his three World Championship medals, European silver, gold in Oregon 2022 and silver in Beijing 2015 and Moscow 2013.