Jordan Díaz Fortún Joined Kansas State Track Program
The Olympic triple-jump gold medalist has relocated to Kansas to train under coach Travis Geopfert.
Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Track & Field
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Olympic triple-jump champion Jordan Díaz Fortún has enrolled in the track and field program at Kansas State University. The 25-year-old athlete completed visa formalities to move from Guadalajara to the United States to work with head coach Travis Geopfert.
Why it matters
The move marks a significant shift for the athlete as he seeks a new training environment after parting ways with his previous manager and training group. He aims to revitalize his performance ahead of his planned competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Díaz Fortún secured Olympic gold with a 17.86m jump, winning by a margin of 2cm. His career highlights include an 18.18m Spanish national record and a 17.16m victory at the 2025 Spanish Championships.
The players
Jordan Díaz Fortún
He is a 25-year-old triple-jump athlete who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Travis Geopfert
He serves as the head coach at Kansas State University and will oversee the training of Díaz Fortún.
Iván Pedroso
He is a former training partner and coach who previously worked with the athlete.
Alberto Suárez
He is the former manager who parted ways with Díaz Fortún in early 2026.
Jonathan Edwards
He is a former world record holder who established the current 18.29m global benchmark in the triple jump.
The details
After leaving the training group of Iván Pedroso and parting ways with manager Alberto Suárez in March 2026, Díaz Fortún sought a change of environment. His transition to the Kansas State facility follows his withdrawal from the 2025 World Championships due to a quadriceps injury.
Timeline
2021: Díaz left the Cuban delegation.
March 2026: Díaz left his training group and manager.
June 9, 2026: Díaz posted a training video.
September 25, 2026: Díaz's training arrival in Kansas was confirmed.
The Big Picture
Díaz Fortún's pursuit of elite performance benchmarks follows a pattern set by athletes seeking to break the 18.29m world record established by Jonathan Edwards. His shift to a new training environment reflects a tactical approach to securing future Olympic success.
This move signals a major shift in the competitive landscape as Díaz Fortún prepares for the 2028 Olympic cycle. Track fans can expect to see how his adjustment to US-based training influences his performance metrics against his previous 17.86m Olympic-winning standard.
The takeaway
Díaz Fortún's decision highlights the critical impact that coaching stability and training environments have on elite athletic performance. Athletes often pursue significant geographical changes to overcome injury plateaus and prepare for long-term championship cycles.
Further reading
For more news on the college athletics scene, visit our Track & Field section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EssentiallySports.
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