Cuban Triple Jumper Chases Olympic Gold After 3 World Titles

At just 24 years old, Leyanis Pérez has already conquered the world three times over, but she's not done yet.

The Cuban triple jumper has claimed three straight world championship titles, including wins at the 2025 and 2026 World Indoor Championships and the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. She's also the reigning Pan American champion from Santiago 2023, dominating her sport with remarkable consistency.

But there's one dream she hasn't caught yet. "I want to be an Olympic champion," Pérez told Panam Sports from her training base in Cuba.

The one missing piece in her trophy case is an Olympic medal, and she's approaching her 2026 season with laser focus on filling that gap. She's currently at 75% capacity while recovering from a minor injury, but her determination hasn't wavered.

Pérez is targeting the Diamond League circuit starting in June and the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, where she hopes to upgrade from the silver medal she won in El Salvador. Her main goal is the World Athletics Championships in Budapest later this year.

The athlete has been tantalizingly close to breaking the 15-meter barrier, consistently hitting 14.90 meters over the past three years. "This year I want to break 15 meters," she said confidently.

Why This Inspires

What makes Pérez's journey even more compelling is her relationship with rival Yulimar Rojas, one of the greatest triple jumpers in history. Rather than viewing her as just competition, Pérez sees Rojas as motivation.

"Having her on the field is a huge deal for me because she pushes me to improve," Pérez explained. The two aren't close friends, but they share laughs at competitions and mutual respect that elevates both athletes.

Pérez traces her breakthrough to the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, where her gold medal performance opened doors to the world stage. "From that moment on, I told myself: 'Leyanis, you've achieved an important goal—now keep moving forward,'" she recalled.

Now she's preparing to defend her Pan American title in Lima 2027 while chasing that Olympic dream that keeps her training through injuries and pushing past barriers.

Sometimes the sweetest victories are the ones you have to wait for.