Ricketts hoping for consistent season

As she continues her preparations for the Paris Olympics Games later this year, Jamaica’s triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts says she is hoping for more consistent performances this season.

The Jamaican is set for action today in the Diamond League at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic at the Hayward Field stadium in Oregon. Ricketts said her training has been towards the aim of consistently breaking the 15-metre barrier throughout this season, a feat that she was only able to do three times throughout last year.

“This year I’m definitely hoping to be more consistent over the 15-metre barrier,” she said during a pre-meet press conference in Oregon yesterday. “Last year I was able to jump 15m three times, and this year I am working to be more consistent. I think a lot of that comes with being more patient during the jump phases and also not just the phases, but throughout the season. It’s making sure that everything that is needs to be done is being corrected during training so that it can be shown during competition.”

Ricketts has competed twice this season with her best result being at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational where she took the win with a jump of 14.50m. She hopes the added motivation of performing at the Hayward Field will help boost her performance today.

She said she had fond memories of competing at the Hayward Field stadium where she set her personal best at last year’s staging of the Prefontaine Classic, then finishing second with an effort of 15.03m.

The stadium was also where Ricketts claimed two of her National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles during her time at San Diego State University.

“I was able to win three NCAA titles and two of which were at the Hayward Field so I think I have great luck here. I think the run way is very suitable for great competition so I’m just looking forward to doing well and getting an even bigger distance this year.”

Ricketts will line up in a field of eight athletes which include fellow Jamaican Kimberly Williams, World Indoor champion Thea LaFond of Dominica and World bronze medallist Leyanis Pérez Hernández of Cuba.

One of the top events at today’s meet is the women’s 100 metres. The event has attracted several of the world’s fastest women, with Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah of Jamaica and World champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States set to run the 100m for the first time this season.