Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson led a group of nine Jamaicans who claimed podium finishes at the season-ending Zurich Diamond League meeting at the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday.
Fraser-Pryce won her fifth 100m Diamond Trophy, while Jackson, who was second behind Fraser-Pryce in the women’s 100m event, secured her first Diamond Trophy with a facile victory on the women’s 200m event just under an hour and a half later.
Seven others were denied Diamond trophies but walked away with finishes in the top three, while just four athletes failed to make the top three on Thursday, to add to Danniel Thomas-Dodd’s unplaced effort in the women’s shot put held at Zurich’s Sechselautenplatz on Wednesday.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who had called an end to her 2022 season following a surprise loss to Jackson last week, rebounded in style when she led from the start to win the 100m event in 10.65 seconds, with Jackson a respectable distance back in second place in 10.81 seconds.
Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast was third in 10.91 seconds. Jamaica’s third runner entered for the event, Natasha Morrison false-started and was disqualified from the event.
Jackson then returned to the track to win the 200m in 21.80 seconds, well clear of the American pair of Gabrielle Thomas (22.38 seconds) and Tamara Clark in 22.42 seconds.
Jamaica also had two podium places in the men’s 110m hurdles with Rasheed Broadbell (13.06 seconds) just failed to overhaul American winner Grant Halloway who won in 13.02 seconds, with Olympics gold medallist Hansle Parchment finishing third in 13.26 seconds.
Travon Bromell of the US won the men’s 100m in 9.94 seconds ahead of Yohan Blake of Jamaica with 10.05 seconds, and Canada’s Aaron Brown third in 10.06 seconds.
In the women’s 800m Natoya Goule was second in 1.57.85 minutes behind Portugal’s Mary Moraa in 1:57.63 minutes, while Janieve Russell was third in the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.77 seconds behind Femke Bol of The Netherlands in 53.03 seconds and the Dominican Republic’s Gianna Woodruff in 53.72 seconds.
Rushell Clayton was fifth in 54.25 seconds.
World champion and World Record holder Toni Amusan of Nigeria won the 100m hurdles in 12.29 seconds, with American Tia Jones next in 12.40 seconds and Britany Anderson of Jamaica third in 12.42 seconds.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas won the triple jump with a leap of 15.28m, well clear of Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (14.96m) and Jamaica’s Shenieka Ricketts in third place with a jump of 14.85m.
The Caribbean dominated the women’s 400m with the Dominican Republic’s Marelileidy Paulino (48.99 seconds) and Fiodaliza Cofil (49.93 seconds) occupying the top two places.
Sada Williams of Barbados was third in 49.98 seconds with Jamaica’s two representatives, Candice McLeod and Stephenie-Ann McPherson finished in fourth and eighth places, respectively.
