Scott leaps into another Diamond League

DIAMOND LEAGUE leader Jordan Scott of Jamaica will be hoping to maintain his good form when he competes in the men’s triple jump at this Friday’s Diamond League meet in Monaco.

The Herculis Diamond League, the 10th stage in the series, will see six Jamaicans in action. Scott, the leader in the men’s triple jump with 23 points, will be aiming for his third win in a row, following successes in Oslo — where he won with a personal best of 17.34 metres — and in Paris.

His main competition is expected to come from Fabrice Hugues Zango of Burkina Faso, who has a season best of 17.21, and Pedro Pichardo of Portugal, with a season’s best of 17.06.

Following her fourth-place finish in Eugene, Oregon, newly minted national senior 100-metre champion Tina Clayton will be hoping for a better result when she contests the women’s 100m.

Clayton, who won at the Jamaica National Senior Championships in a personal best 10.81, will come face to face with Diamond League leader and Olympic champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia.

Alfred, with a season’s best of 10.75, lost her unbeaten streak in the event after being beaten by the United States’ Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and will be hoping to get back to winning ways. The line-up will also include Aleia Hobbs of the United States, who has a season’s best of 10.84, and her countrywoman Jacious Sears, who won an invitational 100m race in Eugene in 10.85.

Following her surprise win over Ackera Nugent in a personal best 12.34 seconds at the National Senior Championships, Megan Tapper will contest the women’s 100m hurdles full of confidence. She will face the United States’ Grace Stark, the Diamond League leader, who is in superb form with a season and personal best of 12.21. Also in the field will be world leader Masai Russell of the United States with 12.17, Alia Armstrong (12.49), and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, the two-time World Indoor champion, with a season’s best of 12.53 — setting the stage for another close contest.

Fresh off her first Diamond League win in Rome, Andrenette Knight will line up in the women’s 400m hurdles with a season’s best of 53.67. Knight will have to contend with the outstanding Femke Bol of the Netherlands, the Diamond League leader, who boasts a season’s best of 52.11, along with the United States duo of Dalilah Muhammad (52.91) and Anna Cockrell (53.84).

High jumpers Romaine Beckford and Raymond Richards will close out the Jamaican contingent competing at the meet.

Richards, with a best of 2.30 metres, and Beckford, with 2.26, will be taking dead aim at the Tokyo World Championships qualifying mark of 2.33 when they contest the event.