RABAT, Morocco— Shericka Jackson and Rajindra Campbell were the Jamaican standouts at Sunday’s Rabat Diamond League, as the region’s top athletes battled fiercely among the world’s best in Morocco.
Jackson, the reigning 200-meter world champion from Jamaica, crossed the line to win her debut 100m race of the season in 11.04 win over Liberia’s Maia McCoy (11.08).
“It was my first 100m since the Jamaican trials last year in June and I am happy with the result,” Jackson said. “I am healthy and that’s the most important thing. I did a lot of stuff good, but there are a lot of things that I can improve. But it was a good race so I leave this competition with only happy feelings.”
In the field, Campbell produced one of the closest contests of the meet in the men’s shot put. The Jamaican powerhouse reached 21.95 meters to finish a mere two centimeters behind winner Payton Otterdahl of the United States (21.97m).
Jamaica also found the podium in the women’s 400m hurdles, with Andrenette Knight finishing second in 53.90. She was followed closely by countrywoman Rushell Clayton, who clocked 54.83 for fourth, just missing the medals in a race won by Olympic silver medalist Femke Bol of the Netherlands in 52.46.
“It was okay, there are still some things we need to work on. It’s just a work in progress,” Knight said. “I am happy with the season best. I need to work on my whole set up, the race pattern. I try different things every race and just go back and see what has to be done. Next race the goal is to go even faster.”
In the men’s high jump, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford cleared 2.21m to place joint-fifth. He was joined at that height by veteran Bahamian Donald Thomas—an Athens 2004 gold medalist—who also finished tied for fifth. Jamaica’s Raymond Richards completed the Caribbean trio in the event, also clearing 2.21m for ninth, based on countback.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney continued her consistent season with a fifth-place finish in the women’s 800m, running a season-best 1:58.00 in a loaded field. Jamaica’s national record holder Natoya Goule-Toppin placed 10th in 1:59.92.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, world record holder and former world champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria stormed to victory in 12.45, ahead of Nadine Visser of the Netherlands (12.67) and Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (12.69).
“I was surprised, the beginning of the season was a little bit rough for me,” Amusan said. “But I just kept the head down and trusted the process. I just wanted to execute a clean race, so I am happy with the victory. I don’t know what I did but it went well. Since the Chinese Wanda Diamond Leagues I put a lot of practice in, especially sprinting. Two weeks in I can feel the difference in my speed.
Despite missing the podium in the men’s 400m, Barbadian-born Canadian Christopher Morales Williams, finished sixth in 45.16. Jacory Patterson (USA) won the event in 44.37
In the men’s 100m, where Akani Simbine of South Africa took the win in 9.95, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, after a good start, faded to ninth in 10.43.
“Today’s performance wasn’t what I had hoped for,” Tebogo shared on social media after the race. “I’m currently dealing with a recurring injury, which hasn’t been easy. However, I’m channeling this disappointment and pain into resolve. I’m already focused on recovery and growth, and I know I will come back a stronger man. See y’all soon❤️🩹.”
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