EUGENE, Oregon — The Caribbean will send a strong field-and-track contingent to the Wanda Diamond League Final, with Thea LaFond, Shanieka Ricketts, and Jordan Scott among the confirmed qualifiers following the final stop before the Brussels showdown.
Dominica’s Thea LaFond, recently crowned Olympic champion in Paris, and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, the Olympic silver medallist, both earned their spots in the women’s triple jump final. The pair have been season-long fixtures near the top of the event standings and now advance among the top six scorers in the discipline.
Cuba’s Yaimé Pérez, a consistent podium finisher and Olympic bronze medallist, was one of six athletes who booked their ticket to the women’s discus final based on results at the Prefontaine Classic. She joins Valarie Allman, Jorinde van Klinken, Sandra Elkasević, Feng Bin, and Laulauga Tausaga in the elite group heading to Brussels.
On the men’s side, Jamaican triple jumper Jordan Scott secured his place in the Diamond League Final after a steady campaign across the circuit, joining Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo among the top qualifiers in the discipline.
Anavia Battle, who represents the United States, is among the automatic qualifiers in the women’s 200 meters and will aim to close out her season with a strong performance in Brussels.
Joseph Fahnbulleh, who represents Liberia, also confirmed his spot in the men’s 200 meters.
Other confirmed finalists include Karsten Warholm (NOR), Rai Benjamin (USA), and Matheus Lima (BRA) in the men’s 400m hurdles; Kuma Girma (ETH) in the men’s 5000m; Edmund Serem and Samuel Firewu (KEN) in the steeplechase; and in the women’s events, Beatrice Chebet (KEN) and Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) in the 5000m.
The steeplechase final will also feature Peruth Chemutai of Uganda, alongside Faith Cherotich and Winfred Yavi. In the high jump, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Nicola Olyslagers have secured spots, while javelin throwers Elina Tzengko and Jo-Ane du Plessis, who has represented South Africa with regional Caribbean ties, complete the field-event qualifiers.
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