By Noel Francis
Tokyo, Japan – Day six was a good day for the Caribbean at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, both on the track and in the field events. Jereem Richards won silver in the penultimate event on the night, the men’s 400m, after his countryman and roommate Keshorn Walcott secured gold and his first world title in the men’s Javelin. Walcott was joined by the Grenadian Anderson Peters, who won silver, to complete a 1-2 finish.
In the women’s triple jump, Olympic champion Thea Lafond of Dominica produced a clutch effort to clinch silver on her final attempt, bounding out to a season’s best of 14.89m. This was five centimetres behind Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez (14.94m). World record holder Yulimar Rojas, competing for the first time in two years, secured bronze with 14.76m.
“It was insane. I got in the swing of it more toward the end of the final,” said Lafond. “One of the things my coach and husband said to me towards the end is, ‘You are a little rusty with the big jumps.’ And he’s right. But I’m so proud of us. I only started jumping a few weeks before the World Indoors this year. I had knee surgery. I didn’t walk for about two and a half months. I still tape my knee every time, but even in this condition, I was able to do my best in the last round. I really wanted to overcome this magic 15-metre mark tonight. I got a little off balance on that last jump. I was so close.
She added, “In any case, I cannot walk away from the stadium not being proud of myself. Right now, I want to sleep and get some good food. I have not really been able to eat as I wanted in Tokyo. It’s been a lot of chicken, salad and fruits, so now I can diversify.”