Shanieka Ricketts wins triple jump at Monaco Diamond League

Shanieka Ricketts was the lone Jamaican winner at Friday’s (9 July) Herculis EBS Monaco Diamond League. “I am very pleased,” Ricketts said of her victory. Monaco Diamond League Results here

“I was able to get a good series out tonight, and that showed us where we are with our preparation. I am looking to build upon what we did tonight ahead of Tokyo in a few weeks,” she added.

Ricketts’ final attempt, among the top three, was 14.29m. Her best on the day was 14.75m. Yulimar Rojas (VEN), who led from the early rounds with 15.12m, fouled on her final attempt and had to settle for second. Patricia Mamona (POR) finished third, despite fouling her final attempt. She earlier did a national record of 14.66m.

“The girls are doing extremely well in the triple jump, and they keep the level high. I am doing well in competition and training, so it is a huge motivation for me to do better each time.

World champion Rojas, Ricketts’ main rival, said: “I am happy and at the same time a bit disappointed with the last two fouls I did today. Those were very big jumps, but that is the way competition is.”

Jamaican Kimberly Williams, 14.50m, finished fifth in the competition.

In the men’s long jump, Tajay Gayle missed out on taking gold. He recorded the best jump of the competition, 8.29m, on his fifth attempt, which under the new rule, is not used to decide the winner.

Great Britain’s Miltiadis Tentoglou, who entered the jump-off with 8.21m, produced a personal best of 8.24m to record the only legal jump among the final three.

Thobias Montler of Sweden, who had a personal best of 8.27m in the early rounds, also fouled on his final attempt. Gayle got second and Montler, third.

Natoya Goule finished 4th in the women’s 800m. Goule led into the homestretch but tied up badly into the final 50 metres and finished in 1:57.35.
The top three women, Laura Muir (GBR) 1:56.73, Jemma Reekie (GBR) 1:56.96 and Kate Grace (USA) 1:57.20, did personal best times.

Ronnie Baker (USA) won the men’s 100m dash in 9.91. He won ahead of Akani Simbine (RSA) 9.98 and Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA) 9.99.
Trayvon Bromell (USA), the favourite for Tokyo2020 gold, finished 5th in 10.01.

Meanwhile, Shaunae Miller-Uibo won the 200m battle with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. World 100m champion Fraser-Pryce was off to a quick start and covered Miller-Uibo early. The Jamaican led off the curve, but Miller-Uibo fought back gallantly in the final 50 meters to take victory in 22.23.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou also finished strong to cross the line in second, running 22.25 seconds to Fraser-Pryce’s 22.48.