Burkina’s Hugues Fabrice Zango won his first world title after a very fluctuating men's triple jump final that ended with two Cubans sharing the podium with him, separated by a single centimeter.
The 30-year-old, who already won an Olympic bronze medal and a world silver and bronze medal, completed his collection with the best of all colors after taking an early lead, losing it and taking it again with his penultimate effort of 17.64m.
The Silver medal went to the 25-year-old Lazaro Martinez over 17.41m, while his compatriot of 24-year-old Cristian Napoles took bronze with a personal best of 17.40m.
There was disappointment for 18-year-old Jamaican talent, Jaydon Hibbert, who had to withdraw from the competition due to injury after the first round.
Zango, second on this year's world list with 17.81m, took control of the competition with an opening effort of 17.37m.
But in the second round, the Olympic bronze medalist from Burkina Faso was removed to second place by the 17.41m performed by Martinez.
Then, it was Napoles' turn to hit hard, with a personal best of 17.40m that put him in silver medal position.
Zango's response was good – 17.36m – but not enough to lift him from the bronze medal position.
But in the fifth time, all was in place for him as he regained the lead with 17.64m. All came down during the last round.
Confirmed as champion, Zango provided a final effort that gave nothing but it didn't matter, because he had lifted the suspense on the 5th trial. Algeria’s Triki took 5th place in the final with 17m01.
Ta Lou at the foot of the podium
Despite a very good time of 10"81, the Ivorian Marie-Josée Ta Lou (4th) finished just off the podium in the women's 100m. Six of the eight finalists finished under 11". The 10"65 achieved by the American Sha'Carri Richardson, 23, is the best performance of the year tied with Shericka Jackson (July 7). It is also the 5th best performance of all time. Five times world champion, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made a huge start, but had to do with bronze (10"77, best time of her season), behind her compatriot Shericka Jackson (10"72).
Gambia’s Gina Bass, a resident of AADC Dakar, stopped in the semi-finals, with a 6th place in 11”19.
Another resident of the AADC Dakar, the Senegalese Louis François Mendy who had set the second time in the first heat of the 110m Hurdles in 13”24 was eliminated for false start during his semi-final. A hard exit for this hope… who wanted to hit hard in Budapest.
At the end of the 3rd day, Africa counts 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze
