Jamaica set to break Olympic Games drought in field events

JAMAICA’S ATHLETES have had good results over the years at the Olympic Games in track events, especially in the sprints.

However, it has not been the same in field events as since the country’s first participation at the Games in 1948 only James Beckford in the men’s long jump at the 1996 Atlanta Games and Chelsea Hammond in the women’s long jump at the Beijing 2008 Games have been among the medals.

In Atlanta Beckford was second in the long jump with a best of 8.29 metres behind American great Carl Lewis who won with 8.50m.

Hammond, who finished fourth in Beijing with a personal best of 6.79m, was promoted to third eight years later. Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia who placed second was disqualified for a doping violation.

Jamaica will be hoping to end this 16-year drought in field events when competition gets underway in Paris this weekend. Flag-bearer and triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts has the best chance among the women. The two-time World Athletics Championships silver medallist will be hoping to improve on her fourth-place finish in the event at the Tokyo Olympics.

With Olympic and World champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela out of the Games after doing a surgery earlier this year, the event is wide open and Ricketts will be hoping to hit her best form of the season. Her season’s best 14.67m has her at number seven in the world.

Teenage sensation Jaydon Hibbert in the men’s triple jump along with his former teammates at the University of Arkansas, Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod, all have great chances of picking up medals.

With a season’s best of 17.75m in the triple jump, Hibbert, who has competed sparingly this season, has the potential go much further. He has a personal best of 17.87m set last year when he topped the world list.

Spain’s Jordan Diaz Fortun with a world lead of 18.18m and Pedro Pichardo of Portugal with a best of 18.04m are the top two but Hibbert has shown that he can get close to the 18m barrier and he could steal the show here.

After his silver medal in the long jump at last year’s Budapest World Championships, Pinnock was on target to do something special at the Olympics this year but his season was interrupted by an injury while competing at the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Division 1 Outdoor Championships. He has a season’s best of 8.40m where he is ranked third and once he manages his injury, he will be very dangerous.

McLeod, who won bronze earlier this year in the event at the World Indoor Championships, could make it two medals for Jamaica. His season’s best of 8.38m puts him fourth in the rankings and he could be in the mix for a podium finish.