Andy Díaz Hernández delivered one of the greatest triple jumps ever recorded, leaping 18.15m to move to No.4 on the world all-time list and claim European gold for Italy, just 3cm short of the championship record.

Andy Díaz Hernández delivered one of the truly great triple jump performances in the history of the event on Saturday night (August 15), soaring out to 18.15m to win European gold at Alexander Stadium – a jump that moves him to fourth on the world all-time list, behind only Jonathan Edwards, Christian Taylor and, remarkably, a different Díaz entirely.

The Cuban-born Italian, who switched allegiance and went on to become world indoor champion, produced the mark with his second attempt of the competition and never came close to being troubled again, backing it up with 17.78m in round three.

It fell just three centimetres short of the championship record of 18.18m set in Rome two years ago by Jordan Díaz Fortun – the Cuban-born Spaniard whose stunning victory that day this mark now sits right alongside on the all-time list.

At 30, and having arrived in Birmingham as Europe's form jumper on the back of a season's best of 17.87m, Díaz Hernández converted that favourite's tag into his first major outdoor title in the most emphatic fashion possible.

Portugal's Pedro Pichardo, the reigning world champion, could not live with it despite a season's best of his own, taking silver with 17.76m from his opening attempt.

Italy doubled up on the podium as Andrea Dallavalle claimed bronze with 17.37m, giving the host nation of the previous edition two men in the top three. France's Thomas Gogois, the defending bronze medallist from Rome, was fourth with 17.21m, with Turkey's Can Özüpek fifth on a season's best of 16.73m.

Men's triple jump: 1 Andy Díaz Hernández (ITA) 18.15 WL, NR; 2 Pedro Pichardo (POR) 17.76; 3 Andrea Dallavalle (ITA) 17.37; 4 Thomas Gogois (FRA) 17.21; 5 Can Özüpek (TUR) 16.73; 6 Endiorass Kingley (AUT) 16.57; 7 Jonathan Seremes (FRA) 16.31; 8 Dimitrios Tsiamis (GRE) 16.27