Gayle, Ackeem Blake surprise rivals at Diamond League finals

TAJAY GAYLE and Ackeem Blake registered surprise victories on yesterday’s opening day of the two-day Allianz Memorial Van Damme Wanda Diamond League finals in Brussels, Belgium.

Gayle, a 28-year-old long jumper who has been dogged by injuries since winning the World Athletics Championships title in 2019, saved his best performance for the final meet of a long season, producing a season’s best 8.28 metres for the win. Simon Ehammer of Switzerland was second with 8.16m, with third going to Olympic champion, Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece with 8.15m. Carey McLeod (7.85m) and Wayne Pinnock (7.43m), the other Jamaicans in the event, ended fifth and sixth, respectively.

Gayle stated that he was determined to put his best effort in his first two jumps because of the cold temperature which dropped below 55 degrees Fahrenheit during the meet.

“I put everything in the first two attempts because of the cold and it worked for me. My goal was to jump 8.30m as I knew the weather would have been a factor and I was close to that and I am happy,” said Gayle.

Olympic 100 metres semi-finalist Ackeem Blake, fresh off a win earlier in the week at the World Continental Tour Silver meet in Bellinzona, Switzerland, maintained his brilliant form in the event. Blake got a very good start and kept his form throughout for a convincing win in 9.93 seconds, relegating the Americans Christian Coleman (10.00) and Fred Kerley (10.01) to second and third, respectively. Jamaica’s Rohan Watson ended eighth in 10.25.

Despite his good form Blake was surprised at the win.

“For me it was a surprise to win here. It was a very competitive field and it was my first Diamond League final. This really means a lot to me. It was very cold, but still I was able to run close to my personal best. This is only the beginning and I have more to come in the coming years,” said Blake.

In the women’s 100m, the expected close clash between Olympic champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia and World champion Sha ‘Carri Richardson of the United States did not materialise.

Alfred who lost to Richardson in Zurich a week ago won the event in 10.88, ahead of Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain (10.92) with third going to Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith of Cote d’Ivoire, 11.05. Richardson who got a poor start ended eighth in 11.23.

There were top three finishes for three other Jamaicans in Diamond League events. Olympic silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts was second in the women’s triple jump with 14.22m as Cuba’s Leyanis Hernandez Perez, with one legal jump, won with 14.37m. Ackelia Smith was third with 14.17m. Natoya Goule was also third in the women’s 800m in 1:58.94.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd was fifth in the women’s shot put with 19.24m while Fredrick Dacres was seventh in the men’s discus with 61.63m.

Three other Jamaicans were involved in non-Diamond League events. In the women’s invitational 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams was third in 50.33 and Stephenie Ann McPherson fourth in 51.24. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States won in 49.11. National record-holder Rusheen McDonald was fifth in the men’s equivalent in 46.71. The event was won by Belgium’s Daniel Segers in 45.38.

Nine Jamaicans will be seeking glory on today’s final day of competition. They are led by Ackera Nugent, the world leader in the women’s 100m hurdles where she will be joined by world champion Danielle Williams. Shiann Salmon, Janieve Russell and Andrenette Knight will compete in the women’s 400m hurdles while Roshawn Clarke and Malik James-King will run in the men’s 400m hurdles.

Also down to compete are Romaine Beckford in the high jump and Rajindra Campbell in the shot put.