Ricketts now a seven-time national champ

THERE WERE no surprises for Olympic Games silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts, the triple jumper continuing her dominance on local soil to win the National Junior and Senior Championships for a seventh time yesterday.

Ricketts lept to 14.52 metres to get the better of Ackelia Smith, who had a season’s best 14.44. Kimberly Williams took third with 13.80.

Ricketts didn’t have things all her own way, winning on her fifth and penultimate attempt. Smith, who won the long jump the previous day, held the early lead, forcing Ricketts to call on her experience to secure the victory.

Another Olympian, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, also maintained her dominance, winning the shot put with a heave of 18.33 metres. Lloydricia Cameron was second with 17.24, while Rochele Solmon grabbed third with 13.70.

Rushell Clayton and Roshawn Clarke were crowned national champions in the 400m hurdles last night after impressive wins in their respective finals.

Clayton showed her class when it mattered most, winning in a season’s best 53.81 seconds. She pulled away from favourite Andrenette Knight, who finished second in 54.52, with Shiann Salmon placing third in 54.65.

In the men’s event, a new champion was crowned as 2023 champion, Clarke, got back to winning ways for his second senior title with a dominant performance, stopping the clock at 48.02 seconds. Assinie Wilson had to settle for second in 48.42, just edging out defending champion Malik James-King, who was third in 48.49.

Earlier, new champions were crowned in the women’s and men’s 800m, where Kelly-Ann Beckford and Tyriece Taylor took top honours.

There were several late withdrawals in yesterday’s first round of the women’s 200 metres.

In the end, it was Sprint Tech’s Ashanti Moore — seventh in the 100m — who emerged as the fastest going into today’s final. Moore won her heat in 22.92 seconds, with Kemba Nelson of Elite Performance the second-fastest qualifier in 23.39. Jodean Williams of SprinTec, who finished fourth in the 100m final, advanced as the third fastest, winning her heat in 23.42.

Christopher Taylor of Titans led the way among the qualifiers in the men’s 200 metres, comfortably winning his semifinal heat in 20.50.

Favourite to win the event, Bryan Levell of Uptimum Performance — who pulled up in the men’s 100m final to clock 10.43 seconds — showed that all is well. Running out of lane eight in his heat, he looked relaxed and won in 20.51 to be the second-fastest qualifier. Adrian Kerr, running unattached, was third-best overall after taking his heat in 20.75.

In the women’s 100-metre hurdles, Megan Tapper with 12.50 seconds is the quickest into the final, with defending champion Ackera Nugent and Danielle Williams with 12.76 the next best.

Tomorrow’s men’s 110-metre hurdles final look set to be a cracker with Demari Prince, 13.20, Tyler Mason, 13.22, Orlando Bennett, 13.24, Rasheed Broadbell, 13.27, and Hansle Parchment, 13.32, all looking sharp enough to be among the top three.

The 400mh finals

Six senior track finals will close out today’s final day of competition with action beginning at 11 a.m. with the men’s hammer throw final.

The afternoon session starts at 3 p.m., featuring the women’s hammer throw final, followed by the men’s triple jump at 4 p.m., and the men’s shot put at 5:03 p.m., wrapping up senior field events.

At 5:55 p.m., the first senior track final — the women’s 400m — will get underway, where a battle royal is expected between defending champion Nickisha Pryce, the fastest qualifier with 50.51 seconds, and Dejanea Oakley, the second fastest with 51.05. Oakley is the only Jamaican woman to go sub-50 this season with a personal best of 49.65.

The men’s 400m final is set for 6:05 p.m., while the women’s 400m hurdles at 6:35 p.m.

The men’s 110m hurdles is at 6:55 p.m., women’s 200m final at 8:05 p.m., and the men’s 200m final at 8:15 p.m.