Ricketts’ 15-metre jump didn’t surprise coach

SHANIEKA RICKETTS’ personal best of 15.01-metre leap to win the women’s triple jump at the Allianz Memorial van Damme meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Friday came as no surprise to her coach and husband, Kerry Lee Ricketts.

“Honestly, I am not surprised about her achievement on Friday, as it was in the making, despite an unusually slow start in the event this season,” said Kerry Lee Ricketts.

The triple jump coach said Shanieka was struggling with an injury earlier in the season.

“She was not able to prepare properly before the National Championships due to a heel injury and most of her time was spent in the pool,” said Ricketts.

“Because of the injury, she was struggling to reach the board and most of her attempts were coming from 20 centimetres behind the take-off board. But, when she won at the Trials with a wind-aided 14.79 metres, it was still encouraging,” said the coach.

“After the Trials, we went to our training camp in Paris and, in the first week, we still had to do some pool work. But, after that, you could see a different focus. There was big improvement,” he said.

At the World Athletics Championships last month, Shanieka was aiming for a third medal in the event after silver in Doha in 2019 and in Eugene in 2022.

It was not to be, the national champion ending fourth despite a season’s best 14.93.

“We were encouraged by that result despite not getting a medal, because it was a very fierce competition. The top five finalists all went over 14.90 metres, and, normally, getting 14.9 would have put you on the podium,” said Kerry Lee.

“Getting her personal best and first time over 15 metres was sensational, as, two days earlier, she came off a win in Italy with 14.92 metres and I saw that coming,” he said.

With Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, the world’s number-one high jumper and champion headed to the Diamond League final in Eugene, Shanieka’s every jumper’s chance of winning has dwindled. However, according to Kerry Lee, that will not be something Shanieka focuses on.

“At the moment, we are not focusing on any athlete. Our main focus is on the event itself and we are just hoping to end the season on a high,” he said.