No disappointment for Thomas-Dodd

STILL IMPROVING, Danniel Thomas-Dodd remains intent on looking forward, despite failing to add another World Championships medal in a high-class final of the women’s shot put.

The silver medallist from Doha 2019 reflected on a good season where she has improved her personal best to 19.77 metres but just couldn’t unleash anything greater on the Budapest stage, managing a competitive fifth place as Chase Ealey, of the United States, retained her title with the second biggest throw of the year (20.43m).

Ealey justified her ranking as global number one and repeated striking an early hammer blow, as she had 12 months ago in Eugene, by launching a season’s best 20.35 in the opening round.

The 2018 Commonwealth champion, Thomas-Dodd was briefly in a bronze-medal position before being successively overhauled by silver medallist, Canada’s Sarah Mitton, and China’s Lijiao Gong, who finished third.

Thomas-Dodd responded by sending her third attempt out to 19.59 but it was still not sufficient for a podium place.

The now 30-year-old, originally from Westmoreland, was calm in her assessment, saying:

“Overall, I’m not disappointed as I’ve been to three finals in the five World Championships.

“I knew going into the evening what it would take to get in the medals, but just couldn’t put it together.

“It’s one medal, one fourth place and one fifth place now.

“I know there is one (big effort) in there but it’s a hard double to do (qualification and the final on the same day) and, knowing how hard it is, I’m super excited for the girls who came out again and were able to put one together.

“I can’t be disappointed because the distances by the top three were out there and I know what I am capable of. I just couldn’t do it tonight.

“I’ve had injuries to overcome in the past, and this year is the most consistent I’ve been overall.

“I had a back and foot injury, which I still struggle with on and off, but I can control them now when I compete.

“I have, for sure, two more competitions left. So, hopefully I can shake this off, get some rest, and put in some good results before the end of the season.

“We structured my training differently this season and I think that’s a good indicator for next year.”

Ealey, now World Champion twice in succession, paid tribute to her Jamaican rival, commenting:

“I think she is doing amazingly as I’ve competed against her a few times, and she did well at Drake and in LA she got a national record.

“She had a bit of a lull but seems to be coming out of that and, while the rest of the girls hang out in competition, she is really focussed and I respect that.

“Some people maybe doubted her progress but I think she has come out and done great this year.”