As has become the norm in recent years, Yulimar Rojas dominated the triple jump competition as the Diamond League season resumed in Zurich, Switzerland on Thursday.
Fresh off her triumph at the World Championship triumph last week, the Venezuelan, a now four-time world champion, had jumps of 15.08 and 15.15, either of which would have comfortably secured victory against a stacked field that included world championship silver medalist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of the Ukraine and Cuba’s Leyanis Perez-Hernandez, the bronze medalist.
However, it was Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts who claimed the runner-up spot on this occasion with her jump of 14.78m. The Jamaican had a second-round jump of 14.62. The 14.78m followed on her third attempt.
Meanwhile, Liadagmis Povea of Cuba, sixth at World’s, took third place with her third-round effort of 14.73m.
Ricketts remarked that it was almost redemptive to be able to finish second in Zurich after missing out on a medal in Budapest.
"It is outside of my control in terms of what happens on the day so all I have to do is to control the things I can control, which is to jump the best I can on that day. Of course, I was disappointed to come out fourth again in Budapest but coming here and finishing on the second place, it is like icing on the cake," she said.
"I just hope to keep building on this. I tried to get a lot of rest and hydration in between the two events as it was extremely hot in Hungary so I have been really focusing on recovery to make sure I can still focus on the rest of the season. Out here, the surface felt a bit different - I think that track was much faster there and I had to make a few adjustments in terms of the runway. But in overal, I think it was a good competition. You do not need to focus on beating anybody, just beating yourself. Because once you do your best, you will be satisfied with the result."
Perez-Hernandez was fourth with 14.62 with Dominica’s Thea LaFond, who produced a new national record of 14.90 in Budapest, finishing fifth with an effort of 14.42m.
Bekh-Romanchuk had four fouls with her one legal jump being 14.37, which placed her sixth.