1 month ago
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Jamaican sprint hurdler Megan Tapper and triple jumper Jordan Scott were both in spectacular form at the Monaco Diamond League meet yesterday as the two recorded personal bests to win their respective events.
Drawn in a highly competitive field in the women’s 100m hurdles event, Tapper continued her impressive renaissance this season as she equalled her personal best of 12.34 seconds on her way to a statement win.
Blasting out the blocks, Tapper led Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, 12.43, and Netherland’s Nadine Visser, 12.56, across the line.
It was Tapper’s first Diamond League win of her career, much to the delight of the sprint hurdler.
“I just want to say, I didn’t get the opportunity to come here in 2023, this is my first time in Monaco, this is my first Diamond League for the year and this is my first-ever Diamond League win, so it’s really exciting for me,” she said.
“I knew I was in good form and good shape, my team did an excellent job with preparing me for Monaco, so I just came out here with faith and obviously with God in the mix and just did what I know I could do.”
She was not the only national champion to get in on the winning action as Jamaica’s rising king of the sand pit, Jordan Scott, set yet another personal best this season to win the men’s triple jump.
His best effort of 17.52 metres erased his previous lifetime best of 17.34m and saw him comfortably clear of his competitors.
Algeria’s Mohammed Triki, 17.23m, and Italy’s Andy Diaz, 17.19m, rounded off the podium positions.
The mark represented the fifth time Scott’s has broken his personal best this year, having also leapt to 17.44m during his series, catching the triple jumper by surprise.
“The season is coming along. I don’t know what to say, I surprised myself today,” he said.
“It took me some time to do what I had to do. I started a bit slow, I was just trying to figure things out. I was missing my hop step a lot and my coach told me to relax. I managed to get relaxed and jumped a personal best in the final attempt.”
With his title as reigning national champion and booking his spot on Jamaica’s team for the World Athletics Championships in September, Scott is preparing for a long season ahead.
“I can’t complain. The season is long, there is still a long way to go to the World Championships and I don’t want to worry about it now. I will compete again next week and then get back to training. I will let my coach figure out things that have to be improved.”
National champion Nickisha Pryce was third in the women’s 400m, running a season’s best 49.63 seconds.
She was bettered on the day by a ding-dong battle to the line between the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino and USA’s Aaliyah Butler.
Paulino took the win in 49.06, just edging out Butler who ran a new personal best in 49.09.
Andrenette Knight’s time of 54.54 was enough to see her take fifth in the women’s 400m hurdles, which was comfortably won by Dutchwoman Femke Bol, setting a meet record and world leading time of 51.95.
The USA duo of Dalilah Muhammad, 52.58, and Anna Cockrell, 52.91, were second and third respectively.
English (US) ·