Following her victory in the triple jump at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco today, Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts said she feels like she is on track for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics that gets underway later this month.
Ricketts, the only Jamaican winner at the meet where Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tajay Gayle and Natoya Goule also competed, jumped 14.29m in her ‘final-three' attempt to defeat Yulimar Rojas and Patricia Mamona, who jumped 15.12m and 14.66m, respectively to qualify for the jump-off but fouled their final jumps.
Ricketts qualified with her opening-round jump of 14.75m.
“I am very pleased I was able to get a good series out tonight and that shows us where we are with our preparation so I am looking to build upon what we did tonight ahead of Tokyo in a few weeks,” said Ricketts who also jumped 14.65m during the preliminary round.
“The girls are doing extremely well in the triple jump and they keep the level high up. I am doing well in the competition and in training so it is a huge motivation for me to do better each time. With the ‘final-three’ rule, I really have to dig deep because this is the jump that matters, so this is pushing me to stay on top of my game.”
She said as she continues her preparation for the Olympics, she is focused on making minor improvements that will ensure success.
“There are always things to improve on but we will be focusing on the last phase in order to see bigger jumps in Tokyo. I am not putting any pressure on myself but I would be disappointed if I was leaving without a medal,” she said.
Gayle, the 2019 long jump world champion, was on the wrong end of the ‘final-three’ rule in his competition. He went into the ‘final-three’ round with the best jump of 8.29, along with Miltiadis Tentoglou and Thobias Montler, who jumped a personal best 8.27m in the earlier rounds.
Tentoglou had the only legal jump in the final round with 8.24m while Gayle and Montler both fouled.
On the track, Fraser-Pryce ran 22.48 to finish third in the 200m that was won by Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who rebounded from her loss in Hungary on Tuesday to clock 22.23 getting by Marie Josee Ta Lou just before the finish line. Ta Lou ran a season-best 22.25 for second place.
Natoya Goule ran her second-fastest time this season, 1:57.35, but finished fourth in the 800m. The three women who beat her all ran personal best times.
Great Britain’s Laura Muir won the race in 1:56.73 ahead of compatriot Jemma Reekie, who ran 1:56.96.
The USA’s Grace Kate was third 1:57.20.
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Grenadian Olympians Kirani James, Lindon Victor set to compete on different continents this weekend
As they continue sharpen their skills ahead this summer’s Olympics Games in Paris, France, Grenadian Olympians Kirani James and Lindon Victor are set to compete at separate meets on different continents this weekend.
James, the 2012 Olympic champion and three-time medalist, has been confirmed for the LA Grand Prix on Saturday, May 18, at the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This will be his second race of the season having opened at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix on April 28.
Meanwhile, Victor, a decathlete, will take part in the Hypo Meeting at the Mosle Stadium in Gotzis, Austria, from Saturday, May 18 to Sunday, May 19.
The Hypo Meeting is a World-Athletics organized combined events gold level meet that features the world’s top heptathletes and decathletes in two days of grueling competition.
Victor, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the holder of several national records for Grenada has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics where he will make his third Olympic appearance for the Spice Island.
Following competition in Austria, Victor will fly home to Grenada where he will contest the long jump and the 100m at the Grenada Invitational on June 6.
Olympic hopeful Tamarri Lindo faces deportation to Jamaica amidst Olympic dreams
Tamarri Lindo, a standout track athlete from York University in Canada, finds himself grappling with the looming threat of deportation just as his Olympic aspirations reach a critical juncture. Despite his impressive athletic achievements, including a recent bronze medal in the 60-metre hurdles for York University at the national collegiate championships, Lindo's dreams of representing Canada at the upcoming Olympics are in peril.
Tamarri's journey to Canada began in 2019 when he and his family fled Jamaica due to alleged threats and violence linked to his father George Lindo's political activism against gang influence in support of the opposition party. Tamarri, who has excelled both academically and athletically, earned a Ca.$2,500 scholarship after catching the eye of scouts while in high school.
"My goal was to make the 2024 Paris Olympics. But now, it feels like everything is being taken away," Lindo lamented in an emotional interview with CTV National News. "I feel like I could have a mental health breakdown. My heart is sinking."
Despite providing evidence of threats and violence faced in Jamaica, the Lindo family's asylum claims have been denied multiple times by Canadian immigration officials. The most recent pre-removal risk assessment, conducted in March 2023, upheld previous decisions, prompting the Canada Border Services Agency to issue a deportation order scheduled for next week.
Immigration lawyer Aidan Simardone, advocating for the Lindo family, has filed for a judicial review as their final recourse to remain in Canada. He condemned the decision, highlighting the potential danger awaiting the Lindos if forced to return to Jamaica.
"The fact that they are doing this is unconscionable," Simardone asserted. "It goes against our Canadian values of providing people their fair opportunities and protection to those in danger in other countries."
For Tamarri, who hoped his athletic achievements would bolster his family's case for residency, the uncertainty looms heavily. As he faces the imminent threat of deportation, he remains hopeful for a successful appeal while continuing to train and pursue his athletic goals amidst the uncertainty that surrounds his family's future in Canada.
As the legal battle unfolds, supporters have rallied behind the Lindo family, advocating for a reconsideration of their case and hoping for a resolution that allows them to remain in Canada and for Tamarri to pursue his Olympic dreams.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, Kirani James, and Anderson Peters headline star-studded field at 2024 Grenada Invitational, June 6
The stage is set for a thrilling showcase of athletic prowess as the 2024 Grenada Invitational gears up to welcome a star-studded lineup of track and field talents. Hometown heroes Kirani James and Anderson Peters, alongside the incomparable Elaine Thompson-Herah, lead the pack of 100 athletes confirmed to compete at the prestigious event, slated to take place on Thursday, June 6, at the Kirani James Stadium in Grenada.
The excitement surrounding the meet was palpable as it was officially launched on Thursday at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in St. George's. The presence of Olympic champions and world-class athletes promises an electrifying atmosphere for spectators and competitors alike.
Joining the illustrious lineup are Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles champion Rasheed Broadbell, set to make his season debut, and Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper. Their participation adds further depth and excitement to an already stacked field of competitors that will also include Grenada’s Olympic hopefuls quarter-miler Melenie Rodney, sprinter Halle Hazzard as well as decathletes Linden Victor and Kurt Felix. Both decathletes will participate in the long jump and 100m events.
The meet will also herald the celebration of a significant milestone—the 40th anniversary of Grenada's first participation in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984. To honor this occasion, all 51 athletes who have represented the country at the Olympics over the past four decades will be celebrated and honored at a special ceremony scheduled for 6:00 pm on the day of the event.
The festivities are set to kick off at 4:30 pm with national segments featuring local athletes across various age categories, from U13 to U20. This segment serves as a platform to showcase the budding talent within Grenada's track and field community and underscores the nation's commitment to nurturing the next generation of athletic stars.
As the sun sets and the international segment commences at 7:00 pm, spectators can expect nothing short of top-tier performances from some of the world's most elite athletes. From sprints to hurdles, jumps to throws, the Grenada Invitational promises a spectacle of athletic excellence that will captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression on the global track and field stage.
The meet organizers say the full cast of athletes competing at the meet will be revealed over the next two weeks.
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