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Yulimar Rojas is a Venezuelan athlete and Olympian, known for her incredible jumps. She is nicknamed “La reina del triple salto,” or the queen of the triple jump, for a reason – she holds the world record for women’s triple jump, at 15.74 meters.
Rojas has had an impeccable career, participating in the Olympics three times. This year, the 26-year-old broke another record, winning Gold in the World Athletics Championships, which were hosted in Eugene, USA. This marks her sixth global title and the third in a row. Rojas was born in Pozuelos, Venezuela, and while she dreamed of playing volleyball, she changed her focus after she discovered triple jumps.
In Eugene, Rojas not only stood out due to being the current Olympic champion but by winning by a large margin. Her jump came in at 15.47 meters, with the runner up, Jamaican Shanieka Ricketts, coming in at 14.89 meters, almost a full meter less than Rojas. In third place came Tori Franklin, representing the U.S., with a 14.72 meter jump.
Rojas plans to attend the Paris Olympics in 2024 and to break her own record, jumping 16 meters, something that she believes she’s capable of doing. “I’ve already said it before, I don’t like to set limits for myself as an athlete,” she said per the AP Press. “I have a very high ceiling, which is what my mind and heart want.”
Since 2019, Rojas remains undefeated, winning not only in the Olympics but also in the World Athletics Championships in London, Doha, and Oregon.
Rojas is currently based in Spain and has used her platform to speak up about LGBTQ rights, particularly in Venezuela, where the population still experiences challenges that straight people don’t have to worry about. “I feel identified with this whole issue,” she said. “I have had a very nice relationship with a person who is very important to me. There will be a time when the relationship between people of the same sex will be more respected here in my country,” she said.