LONDON (Reuters) – Cuban heptathlete Yorgelis Rodriguez enjoyed a memorable morning at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday as she broke her personal best three times in the high jump.
In the space of a few dramatic minutes, the Panam Games champion improved her best from 1.87 meters to 1.95 meters – an enormous difference in high jump terms.
With thunder rumbling around the London Stadium on a cool morning, Rodriguez first cleared 1.89m then, after two failed attempts, went over 1.92m at the third and last attempt.
Incredibly, she then cleared 1.95m to a huge roar from her behind, leaving her coach in a state of near disbelief.
Rodriguez, seventh at last year’s Olympic Games, was second after two of the seven events with 2207 points while Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium led with 2215 after also clearing 1.95 meters in the high jump.
Carolin Schaefer of Germany was third with 2165.
(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
