Jamaican world champion Shericka Jackson faced an unexpected challenge at the Oslo Diamond League in Norway on Thursday, finishing a distant fifth in the women’s 200m.
The second-fastest woman of all time in the event clocked 22.97 seconds, a far cry from her winning time of 22.82 at the Marrakech Diamond League on May 19.
Jackson, who had been unbeaten in the 200m for two years and claimed gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year, found herself mid-pack at the turn and failed to find another gear, ultimately fading in the latter stages of the race.
Surprise winner
The surprise winner was American Brittany Brown, the 2019 world silver medallist, who posted a season’s best 22.32 seconds from Lane 8. She edged out Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast, who finished in 22.36 seconds. Great Britain’s Daryll Neita secured third place with a time of 22.50secs.
World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton delivered a dominant performance in the women’s 400m hurdles, securing victory with a time of 54.02 seconds. This result follows her world-leading time of 53.72 set at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational on May 11 in Kingston.
Clayton’s victory spearheaded a Jamaican sweep of the event, with Andrenette Knight finishing second in a season’s best of 54.63 seconds, and Janieve Russell taking third, also with a season’s best of 55.07 seconds. This win marks Clayton’s second Diamond League victory this season, following her success in Marrakech, Morocco, on May 19.
Seventh with a time of 10.29 seconds
In the women’s 800m, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin finished second with a season’s best time of 1:59.10 minutes. South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso won the race, demonstrating her consistency after a recent victory in Marrakesh, by clocking 1:58.66 minutes. Despite Goule-Toppin’s strong finish, Sekgodiso maintained her lead to secure the win.
In the men’s 100m, Rohan Watson achieved a season’s best 10.23 seconds, finishing sixth, while fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake came in seventh with a time of 10.29 seconds. The event was won by South Africa’s Akani Simbine, who posted a season’s best of 9.94 seconds. Britain’s Jeremiah Azu led at the halfway mark but pulled up due to injury, allowing Simbine to take the lead and win. Japan’s Hakim Sani Brown finished second in 9.99 seconds, and Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs was third with a season’s best of 10.03 seconds.
Rusheen McDonald of Jamaica, finished last in the men’s 400m, clocking 47.60 seconds. The race was dominated by World silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith, who broke his own European record with a time of 44.07 seconds. Olympic champion Kirani James finished second with a season’s best of 44.58 seconds.
