For a while, Jordan Díaz Fortún’s move to the United States looked like it might not happen. The Spanish triple-jump champion had planned to leave Guadalajara and begin working with Tara Davis-Woodhall’s coach, but visa delays kept those plans on hold. Recent reports even said Díaz was “still working on his visa application,” leaving his move to Kansas uncertain. Just days later, though, the situation has changed, as Díaz has now completed the formalities and can finally begin his new training chapter in Kansas.

The 25-year-old is now beginning a new training at Kansas State University under Travis Geopfert, who is the head coach of the K-State track and field program, as shared by Owen on X on 25 September. Interestingly, Díaz’s immediate target is to rebuild his form after a long period away from competition.

That target was already clear back in June. On June 9, 2026, Díaz posted a training video from a gym in Guadalajara with the simple message “Road to 2027.” The post came as he confirmed that he would not defend his European triple-jump title at the Birmingham championships because of physical problems. However, his ultimate goal is the Los Angeles Olympics where he will have the chance to defend the title he won in Paris.

Now that Díaz has finally reached Kansas, the move raises another question: why did Díaz move to the U.S. and leave his training group in Guadalajara that helped turn him into an Olympic champion? Back in March 2026, Díaz left Iván Pedroso’s training group in Guadalajara and also parted ways with his manager, Alberto Suárez. Pedroso had worked with Díaz since the athlete left the Cuban delegation in 2021. Together, they rebuilt his career in Spain, won the European title in Rome and reached the biggest prize of all when Díaz captured Olympic gold in Paris.

The decision surprised some people in Spanish athletics. Ramón Cid, a 13-time Spanish triple-jump champion, told ABC that the split “doesn’t seem logical” from the outside given everything Díaz and Pedroso had achieved together. Still, Díaz has never publicly revealed exactly why he decided to walk away from Pedroso.

One possible explanation reported in Spain is that Díaz was looking for a change of environment, training approach and surroundings. His move to the United States gives him exactly that, but it also comes with its own challenges. Díaz has limited English and will need to adjust to life in a new country, a different training environment and a new coaching system.

He will also be moving away from the support structure he had become accustomed to in Spain, including the medical and physiotherapy resources available through the Spanish system. Still, Díaz appears ready for the change. After months of waiting for his visa and spending much of 2026 away from competition, he can finally start the work he had planned.

But for Díaz, the move to Kansas came at an important point in his career when it was much needed.

A dream 2024 followed by setback after setback

Not long ago, everything seemed to be going perfectly. Just two months before the Paris Olympics, Díaz announced himself with a remarkable performance at the European Championships in Rome. He won the triple jump with an 18.18m effort, setting a Spanish national record and moving to third on the all-time world list at the time, behind Jonathan Edwards and Christian Taylor. The mark was also only 11cm short of Edwards’ 18.29m world record.

Then his biggest moment came in 2024 as he won Olympic gold in Paris with 17.86m, beating Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo by just 2cm. It made him the first Spanish man to win a senior global title in the triple jump. But what followed was a long and frustrating period away from competition.

A problem with his right knee and patellar tendon kept him away from competition for more than a year. He finally returned at the 2025 Spanish Championships, but his comeback was far from normal. He won the title with 17.16m, yet that was his only valid jump of the competition and his only competition before the Tokyo World Championships.

Tokyo brought another setback. During his first qualifying attempt at the 2025 World Championships, Díaz suffered a problem with his right quadriceps and withdrew without recording a valid mark. The problems continued into 2026. Díaz pulled out of a planned appearance at the Liévin meeting because of physical discomfort and later confirmed that he would miss the European Championships in Birmingham.

After months of limited competition, repeated physical setbacks and a major change in his coaching setup, he finally has a new environment in which to work toward his return.