Shanieka Ricketts the lone Caribbean winner at Gateshead Diamond League meet

By May 23, 2021

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts was the only winner from the Caribbean at Sunday’s Diamond League meeting in Gateshead where Dina Asher-Smith upstaged Sha Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Ricketts, the 2019 World Championships triple silver medalist jumped out to 14.40m to take gold. It was close thing with Portugal’s Patricia Mamoa, who jumped a season-best 14.37m for second place. Naomi Ogbeta of Great Britain got a season-best 14.29m for third.

Afterwards, Ricketts said the conditions were difficult to deal with.

 “It was brutal. I am just so happy I didn't end up injured. It was really hard to focus on technical things and not very conducive to getting good jumps. I just wanted to get myself into the position to have an extra jump and then the only thing that mattered was to get the best jump,” she said while revealing that she is not yet sold on the final-three concept.

“I was a bit sceptical but it is something we need to get used to.”

There were also second-place finishes for Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 Olympic champion, Danniel Thomas-Dodd, and Stephenie-Ann McPherson in the javelin, shot put and 400m, respectively.

Walcott, who was also the bronze medalist at Rio 2016, threw 77.78m, to take the runner-up spot as Poland’s Marcin Krukowski defied the wind and rain to throw 82.61m. He was the only thrower over 80m.

Sweden’s Kim Amb was third with a heave of 76.96m.

Thomas-Dodd just lost out to Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo, who threw 19.08m in the shot put to advance to the final round. Thomas-Dodd, whose best effort was 18.46 also advanced along with the USA’s Maggie Ewen who put 18.54m.

However, in the final round where the previous throws were cancelled, Thomas-Dodd threw 18.12m that was bettered by 18.16m from the Cameroon transfer.  Ewen threw 16.96m for third.

Thomas-Dodd, who said she expected a better showing, vented her frustrations afterwards.

“It's a little bit frustrating because I've been working on a lot of things with my technique which I'm still trying to get in competition. I had some really nice throws today but I wasn’t able to stay in the ring so that's just one of the things I need to go back to the drawing board and work on,” she declared, adding that she would use the conditions as an excuse for her performance.

“That's all I can hope for (to refine technique and to come good at the right time). I know with the time I have it's about fine-tuning those little things. I never complain about conditions because you never know what you'll get wherever you go, so you have to be mentally prepared for whatever conditions you get on the day. You have to work with what you can control and that's being in the ring and working with your technique.”

McPherson produced a strong finish but ran out of real estate to finish second in 400m won by the USA’s Kendall Ellis in 51.86. McPherson clocked 51.96 while holding off Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands was third in a season-best 52.03.

Janieve Russell was beaten into third place in the 400m hurdles by Denmark’s Sara Slott Petersen and Great Britain’s Jessica Turner, who clocked 56.32 and 56.56, respectively.

Tajay Gayle had to settle for third place in the long jump when he was unable to soar beyond 8.14m in the final round where his preliminary round jump of 8.00m was of no consequence except that it got him into the final.

There, Italy’s Phillippo Randazza leapt out to 8.11m to win over Eusebio Caceres, who got 8.04m on his final jump. Gayle could only muster 7.91m which got him third.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leighton Levy

Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.

Related items

  • Olympic champion Julien Alfred wraps up UK tour with visits to Ladbroke Grove schools Olympic champion Julien Alfred wraps up UK tour with visits to Ladbroke Grove schools

    Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred concluded her tour of the United Kingdom on Thursday with visits to two schools in Ladbroke Grove, London, where she inspired students from the vibrant Saint Lucian community in the area. This wraps up a whirlwind week for Alfred, who has been actively promoting St. Lucia in her new role as the island’s Tourism Ambassador.

    Alfred’s day began at St. Mary’s Primary School, where students, aged 5 to 11, welcomed her with a special assembly and a hymn, creating a warm, uplifting start to the visit. Alfred gave an inspiring talk to the young audience, sharing her journey from her small Caribbean island to the Olympic podium, and then answered questions from eager students about her achievements and what it’s like to be an Olympian.

    The visit continued at All Saints Catholic College, a secondary school for students aged 11 to 17, where Alfred joined a Physical Education lesson, offering insights into the training and challenges that helped shape her career. Following a tour of the school, she participated in an assembly featuring the school’s steel pan band, answering students' questions on her historic gold-medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics and her excitement about her new ambassadorial role.

    Alfred was joined by acclaimed British Saint Lucian author Laura Henry-Allain, the Mayor of the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and His Excellency the High Commissioner for Saint Lucia, adding to the event's significance for the local community.

    Reflecting on her week-long UK tour, Alfred shared, “It’s been quite the week. On Saturday I met with other ambassadors from Asia and Africa with His Excellency the High Commissioner. On Sunday I met my people, St Lucians in the UK, on Monday I spoke to media about my new role and then it was World Travel Market. To see all the countries around the world being represented was quite something. It’s been an honour to use my platform to help promote my island.”

    Alfred’s ambassadorship follows her incredible success at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she became the 100m champion, making history for St. Lucia. Now, with her UK commitments complete, Alfred will return her focus to preparing for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she will aim to continue her stellar track record.

    Alfred’s UK tour has not only strengthened ties with the St Lucian community in the UK but also highlighted the island on a global stage, underscoring her dedication to her role as an ambassador both on and off the track.

  • Julien Alfred reveals she almost withdrew from Olympics due to pressure Julien Alfred reveals she almost withdrew from Olympics due to pressure

    Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who rose to global fame this summer by winning gold in the 100 metres at the Paris Olympic Games, has revealed in an interview with Sky Sports that she nearly withdrew from the Games due to the intense pressure she felt after a standout performance earlier in the year. The 23-year-old, who clocked an impressive 10.72 seconds to claim her title as the world's fastest woman, shared her journey through the mental and physical challenges she faced leading up to her historic win.

    Reflecting on her victory at the Stade de France, Alfred said, “I remember screaming so loud and bursting into tears just knowing all my hard work and sacrifice has paid off and knowing how hard it was to get to that point in my career. All I could do was just cry.”

    However, after winning gold in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow earlier this year, Alfred admitted she felt overwhelming pressure to continue delivering exceptional performances. “I put so much pressure on myself after the World Indoors that I have to deliver every single time,” she said. “My coach took me off the track, took me out of competition so I can just focus on my mental health and my physical health as well.”

     The expectation to perform at her peak weighed heavily on Alfred, especially as she took on the role of a trailblazer for St. Lucia. “That was such a hard time for me where I felt like there’s no way I’m going to continue, there’s no way I feel like I have the mental capacity to go to the line again and to represent my country,” she admitted. “Suddenly I got more attention, especially after winning the World Indoors, that I was not used to. I'm just so used to doing well and going back to my shell where I just work on the little things and then go back on the line whenever I have to again.”

    Despite the struggle, Alfred overcame the pressure, becoming not only St. Lucia’s first Olympic gold medalist but also securing silver in the 200m three days later, marking her country’s first two Olympic medals. Known affectionately as “Ju Ju” back home, Alfred returned to the track determined to make her nation proud, sharing the podium with American stars Sha’carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson.

    During her time in the UK as St. Lucia's Tourism Ambassador, Alfred has embraced her role as a national icon. She represented her country at the World Tourism Market and visited schools to inspire young students, encouraging the next generation to pursue their dreams.

     

  • Olympic champion Julien Alfred engages officials and the public as St Lucia's tourism ambassador at World Travel Market in London Olympic champion Julien Alfred engages officials and the public as St Lucia's tourism ambassador at World Travel Market in London

    Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia made a celebrated appearance at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, engaging with members of the travel industry and the general public as Saint Lucia’s Tourism Ambassador. Alfred, who earned the ambassadorial role in September following her historic gold medal win in the 100m at the Paris Olympics in August, has been the face of Saint Lucia’s tourism efforts in London since her arrival last weekend.

    At just 23 years old, Alfred has quickly become an icon for Saint Lucia, not only as the country’s first Olympic gold medalist but also as a silver medalist in the 200m. Her presence at WTM, the premier global event for the travel industry, has drawn significant interest. The event, which has been held annually for over 40 years, attracts approximately 45,000 attendees from more than 150 countries, providing a platform for key players in the tourism sector to connect, share ideas, and foster business relationships.

     

    Over the past two days, Alfred has been actively involved in WTM activities, meeting with travel industry professionals and the general public. Her role as Tourism Ambassador allows her to promote Saint Lucia, emphasizing the island’s rich culture, vibrant heritage, and unique travel experiences. Her interactions have aimed to inspire new interest in Saint Lucia as a premier Caribbean destination, leveraging her global recognition as an Olympic champion.

    As Saint Lucia’s Tourism Ambassador, Alfred has embraced her role with enthusiasm, and her appearance at WTM underscores her commitment to representing her homeland on the world stage.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.