Tokyo Olympic Games finalist Shanieka Ricketts chalked up another National title when she easily topped the women’s triple jump competition on Saturday’s third day of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships inside Kingston’s National Stadium.
Ricketts, a three-time World Championships finalist, and silver-medal winner in that event, cut the sand at a modest 14.27m on her first attempt, which was good enough.
Ackelia Smith finished in second place with 13.93m with perennial finalist Kimberly Williams settling for third with 13.28m.
Despite falling below the World Championships qualifying standard on Saturday, both Ricketts (14.84m) at last year’s Olympic Games, and Williams (14.62m) in Serbia in March 2022, have already attained the entry standard of 14.32m.
Smith is currently ranked 27th in the world and within the 32 to be accommodated in Eugene.
Another athlete successfully retaining her National Championships title was Danniel Thomas-Dodd in the women’s shot put competition. She threw 18.79m to win from Lloydricia Cameron with 16.96m and Danielle Sloley with 15.98m.
Cameron is 36th on the world ranking, which is outside the 32 to be accepted for the event.
Meanwhile, Traves Smikle won the men’s discus with a throw of 65.73m, ahead of Roje Stona with 64.40m and Chad Wright with 63.30m.
Smikle had already attained the entry standard of 66.0m when he threw 66.50m in Kingston on May 7.
However, as at now, Fredrick Dacres, Ralford Mullings and Wright are ranked within the 32 to be accommodated at the event at seventh, 21st and 25th, respectively.
Wayne Pinnock won the men’s long jump with a personal best 8.14m, well below the entry standard of 8.22m.
Finishing second was reigning World Champion Tajay Gayle with 7.97m in a series which saw him register only two jumps from five attempts.
And he passed on his sixth and final attempt after overstepping the board and landing awkwardly in the pit which resulted on him lying prostrate for in the sand for a few minutes, even as the medical staff rushed to his aid.
As reigning champion Gayle gets a wild card entry to Eugene, while Pinnock is currently ranked 31st in the world, just inside the 32 to be accepted.
On the track Yohan Blake, fresh from his 100m final success on Friday night, looks a sure bet to complete the sprint double after another facile victory in the 200m semi-finals.
All three impressed in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The short sprint hurdlers also bowed into action on Saturday, with all the fancied runners advancing to Sunday’s final.
Also, the stage is set for keen competition in the 400m finals for men and women, based on semi-final action on Saturday.
The four-day championships ends on Sunday and will be used to select teams for four major international championships over the next two months, including the World Championships from July 15-24 in Eugene, Oregon; the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia from August 1-6; the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from August 1-6, and the NACAC Senior Championships in Freeport, The Bahamas from August 18-21.
…
