PARIS, France — Jamaica celebrated its first medals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Saturday night, as the country’s athletes shone in the field events at the Stade de France.
Two-time National Champion Rajindra Campbell and two-time World Championships silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts earned historic medals, marking a significant achievement for Jamaica.
Campbell surprised many by securing the bronze medal in the men’s shot put with a throw of 22.15m, equaling the distance of American Joe Kovacs. Kovacs, however, took the silver medal due to superior supporting throws. The event was dominated by American Ryan Crouser, who claimed gold with an impressive 22.90m, following a series of strong throws.
Campbell’s medal-winning throw came on his second attempt, after opening with a modest 22.0m. Despite fouling his remaining attempts, his second throw was enough to secure the podium finish.
First-ever medal
Ricketts added to Jamaica’s medal haul with a silver in the women’s triple jump, achieving a season-best of 14.87m. It was the country’s first medal in the discipline. Dominica’s Thea Lafond won gold with a National Record jump of 15.02m, the country’s first-ever medal, while American Jasmine Moore took bronze with a season-best 14.67m. Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith finished seventh with a jump of 14.42m.
Reflecting on her performance, an emotional Ricketts expressed her determination to medal despite being ranked between fifth and seventh coming into the event. “I knew that I had to fight tonight if I wanted a medal because everyone in the field is capable of jumping big distances,” she said. Overwhelmed with emotion, Ricketts shared her gratitude for the support of her team and her belief in the process, despite doubts in training leading up to the Games.
Earlier in the day, swimmer Sabrina Lyn competed in the women’s 50m freestyle at Paris La Defense Arena, finishing fifth in her heat with a time of 26.08 seconds. Overall, Lyn placed 29th out of 79 competitors.
