Nanjing, China — The World Athletics Indoor Championships kicked off in spectacular fashion on Friday, with Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez soaring to a world-leading 17.80 meters to claim gold in the men’s triple jump. The Cuban-born athlete set his personal best with his opening attempt and, after a foul on his second, confidently passed on his remaining jumps, knowing his mark would be tough to beat.
Local hero Zhu Yaming delighted the home crowd by securing silver with a leap of 17.33 meters on his third attempt. Zhu’s performance energized the arena, showcasing his status as one of the top triple jumpers in the world. Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango, the 2023 outdoor world champion and defending world indoor champion, clinched bronze with a final effort of 17.15 meters.
In the men’s 60 meters sprint, Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu sprinted to victory, edging out Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy by just one-hundredth of a second. Azu stopped the clock at 6.53 seconds, with Kennedy right behind at 6.54 seconds. South Africa’s Akani Simbine claimed bronze with a time of 6.54 seconds, while Chinese veteran Xie Zhenye narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth in 6.58 seconds.
The women’s shot put saw Canadian athlete Sarah Mitton defend her world indoor title in commanding fashion. Leading with a throw of 20.36 meters heading into the final round, Mitton extended her advantage with a final attempt of 20.48 meters. The impressive performance secured her the gold, well ahead of the Netherlands’ Jessica Schilder, who took silver with a throw of 20.07 meters. American Chase Jackson earned bronze with a mark just one centimeter behind Schilder. China’s Gong Lijiao, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, finished fifth, while Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo, the 2022 world indoor champion, placed eighth.
Finnish athlete Saga Vanninen captured gold in the women’s pentathlon, accumulating 4,821 points to top the podium. Ireland’s Kate O’Connor secured the silver medal, and Taliyah Brooks of the United States took bronze, rounding out an exciting first day of competition.
