Cuban star athlete Leyanis Pérez once again stood on the podium this Sunday at the Diamond League 2026 event in Silesia, Poland. She secured second place in the triple jump with a mark of 14.91 meters, maintaining her tie for the lead in the circuit standings.
The athlete from Pinar del Río, a world champion in her event, was only outperformed by Senegal's Sally Sarr, who delivered a historic performance by reaching 15.08 meters, setting a new national record for her country.
Sarr had been flirting with this barrier for weeks. On July 10, the same day Leyanis set her personal best of 15.06 meters in Monaco, the Senegalese jumper had achieved 14.99 meters, her personal best until this competition.
The podium was completed by another Cuban, Davisleydi Velasco, who competes independently from the Cuban Athletics Federation. She registered 14.84 meters to claim third place.
With this outcome, Velasco joins an elite group of athletes who have surpassed the 15-meter mark during the 2026 season, alongside Olympic champion Thea Lafond from the Dominican Republic, Leyanis, and now Sarr—four triple jumpers crossing this barrier in a single year, an unprecedented feat in the event's history.
The results in Poland leave the overall standings in a deadlock: Leyanis Pérez and Sally Sarr are tied at the top of the Diamond League with 28 points each.
Two more opportunities remain for the Cuban athlete to tip the scales in her favor: the Zurich leg, scheduled for next Thursday, and the grand finale in Brussels, set for September 4 and 5.
Leyanis approaches this crucial stage with an impressive track record: she was the indoor world champion in Nanjing 2025 and outdoor world champion in Tokyo 2025, as well as the indoor world champion in Italy 2026.
In the same triple jump event in Silesia, fellow Cuban athlete Liadagmis Povea had a modest performance, jumping 14.18 meters for a sixth-place finish.
Cuba also had representation in the women's 400 meters through Roxana Gómez, who finished in 50.88 seconds for ninth place, well below the 49.99 seconds she had clocked just two weeks earlier at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026.
The race was dominated from start to finish by Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who triumphed with an authoritative time of 48.87 seconds.
With Zurich and Brussels ahead, the showdown between Leyanis Pérez and Sally Sarr promises to be one of the most thrilling season finales in world athletics in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions about Diamond League 2026
What was Leyanis Pérez's performance in the Silesia event?
Leyanis Pérez finished second in the triple jump with a distance of 14.91 meters, tying for the top spot in the Diamond League standings.
Who set a new national record at the Silesia event?
Sally Sarr from Senegal set a new national record with a jump of 15.08 meters, placing first at the event.
How does the Diamond League 2026 standings look after Silesia?
After the Silesia event, Leyanis Pérez and Sally Sarr are tied at the top of the Diamond League standings with 28 points each.