Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts won a silver medal in the women’s triple jump at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene on Monday.
Ricketts produced a season’s best 14.89m to finish second behind Venezuelan world record holder Yulimar Rojas who produced a world leading 15.47 to win her third world title. Tori Franklin of the USA jumped 14.72m for bronze.
Ricketts, who had a slow start to the season because of a knee injury that hampered her preparation, managed to get it together in time to produce her best performance when it mattered most.
She produced jumps of 14.89m, 14.86m, 14.37m, 14.40m, 14.62m and 14.80m for one of her best series of her career.
On the track, Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards advanced to the semi-finals of the 200m after running 20.35 to win heat 2. Richards won bronze at the 2017 London World Championships and won 400m gold at the World Indoor Championships earlier this season.
Mixed Relay gold medallist for the Dominican Republic, Alexander Ogando, was one of the most impressive qualifiers to the semis, easing down to a national record-equalling 20.01 to win heat 4.
100m semi-finalist and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake ran 20.35 to finish fourth in heat 5 and advance as one of the non-automatic qualifiers.
Finally, Rasheed Dwyer ran a season’s best 20.29 to finish second in the seventh and final heat to progress to the next round.
For the women, the usual suspects all booked their spots in the semi-finals.
Shericka Jackson, who became the third fastest woman in history with a personal best 21.55 to win at the Jamaican Championships in June, was impressive to easily win heat 1 in 22.33.
Heat 2 saw 100m bronze medallist and double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah cruise to 22.41 to finish second behind Namibia’s Beatrice Maslingi (22.27). Antigua and Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd ran 22.99 to finish fourth and advance as a fastest loser.
100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was also in cruise control in heat 3, running 22.26 for second behind Niger’s Aminatou Seyni who ran a national record 21.98.
Bahamian Tynia Gaither rebounded from the disappointment of being disqualified from her 100m semi-final on Sunday to finish third in heat 4 in 22.61 to advance. (www.sportsmax.tv)