Jamaica’s, Tajay Gayle, the reigning long jump world champion and Shericka Jackson were winners at the Stockholm leg of the Wanda Diamond League on Sunday.
There were also top-three finishes for Natoya Goule and Kemar Mowatt.
Gayle as usual delivered on his final attempt, like he did in Doha, Qatar, to snatch gold, and at Jamaica’s National Senior Championships (Trials) recently to win the event, he produced a season-best (SB) with his final attempt, with a winning mark of 8.55m.
Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarría, who led after his first attempt, had to settle for second with 8.29m, while Sweden’s Thobias Montler of Sweden took third in a personal best (PB) 8.23m.
Gayle said he was surprised but pleased to have jumped that distance.
“I am very pleased, and this was just a reminder for the future that I can get into those regions where I was and even better,” he said after the meet.
Fresh off her heroic second-place finish in the 100m and 200m at the National Trials, Jackson scored a resounding win in the half-lap event. Despite being in second place for the majority of the way, behind the fast-starting Marie-Josée Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, Jackson who is known for her fast finish took control in the final 50m to win, going away in 22.10 seconds.
Ta Lou was second in an SB 22.36s, while Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi, who was recently barred by World Athletics from competing in the 400m because of having high natural testosterone levels, was third in a national record (NR) of 22.65s.
Despite a brilliant run, national champion Natoya Goule had to settle for second in the women’s 800m. Goule was involved in a stirring final home-stretch run with leader Rose Mary Almanza of Cuba, who held on for a close win in a meet record and PB 1:56.28 minutes. Goule, clocked an SB of 1:56.44 minutes, while United States of America’s (USA) Kate Grace took third in a PB 1:57.36 minutes.
Mowatt ran an SB of 48.75s for a third-place finish in the men’s 400m hurdles. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos won in a PB and area record of 47.34s, with Turkey’s Yasmani Copello finishing second in an SB 48.19s. British Virgin Islands’ Kyron McMaster, the early leader, did not finish after a fall.
