Sha’Carri clips Shericka again

American sprint ace Sha’Carri Richardson produced her trademark strong finish to deny Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in the women’s 100 metres at the Silesia Diamond League meet in Poland yesterday.

The slow-starting Richardson found her top speed 20 metres out and clipped Jackson on the line in 10.76 seconds. Jackson, the world leader in the event at 10.65, clocked 10.78 for second.

Jackson, who lost to Richardson several weeks earlier at the Doha Diamond League, was very motivated to get back on even terms and score a win on her 29th birthday, and she stole the early initiative after a good start to lead the field comfortably at half way. She maintained her lead for the greater part of the contest and looked all over a winner before Richardson found her best form inside the final 20 metres to catch her for the win. Poland’s Ewa Swoboda produced her first sub-11 seconds in the event, clocking a personal best 10.94 for third while Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes ended ninth in 11.18.

At the May meet in Doha, Richardson also won in 10.76 while Jackson was second in 10.85.

It was tough going for the other Jamaicans at the meet as only Natoya Goule Toppin and sprint hurdler Tyler Mason were able to finish in the top three in their respective events. Both placed third.

Goule Toppin produced a season’s best of one minute 57.90 seconds in the women’s 800 metres, which was won in a meet record and season’s best 1:56.85 by Mary Moraa of Kenya, with the Ugandan Halimah Nakaayi second in a personal best and national record 1:57.78.

Mason clocked 13.29 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles as Roger Iribarne of Cuba took the win in 13.25.

Sprint hurdler Megan Tapper and 400m runner Candice McLeod were fourth in their events.

In a very competitive women’s 100m hurdles, national champion Tapper ran very well to clock 12.49 seconds as countrywoman Danielle Williams was fifth in a season’s best 12.55. World champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeriawon in a meet record and season’s best of 12.34 ahead of the United States pair of Kendra Harrison (12.35) for second and Nia Ali, third in 12.38.

McLeod had a season’s best effort clocking 50.19 for fourth in the women’s 400m. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek clocked a meet record and personal best 49.48 seconds to win the event with the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver second, also in a personal best 49.81. World Championships silver medallist, Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, suffered her first defeat of the season finishing third in 50.00 seconds.

Both Shanieka Ricketts and Yohan Blake finished fifth in their events. Blake clocked 10.01 seconds in the men’s 100 metres where South Africa’s Akani Simbine (9.97) urprised World champion Fred Kerley of the United States. Kerley was second in 9.98, the same time given to third-place by Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon. Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake was seventh in 10.15.

Ricketts ,the World Championships silver medallist, produced a season’s best 14.56m but had to settle for fifth in the women’s triple jump. World champion Yulimer Rojas of Venezuela won with a world-leading mark of 15.18m.

Jamaican jumper Lamara Distin was sixth in the women’s high jump after clearing 1.89m. Iryna Gerashchenko of Ukraine won with 1.98m.