Clayton celebrates season’s best in Oslo
Published:Friday | June 16, 2023 | 12:59 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
The fifth stop on the Diamond League circuit saw mixed performances from the Jamaicans on show, highlighted by a season’s best effort from 2019 World Championships bronze medallist Rushell Clayton.
Clayton finished second in the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.84 seconds behind last year’s World Championships silver medallist Femke Bol of the Netherlands. Bol clocked a meet record and world-leading time of 52.30 to win the event. Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell was fourth in a season’s best 54.91.
Clayton said the performance was encouraging with the national championships on the horizon.
“I wanted to execute a great race and have been working so hard. I messed up a little bit but finished strong so I am quite happy with tonight. This is my third race outside of Jamaica this season but my national trials are coming up so that’s next,” Clayton said. With the standard of the event raised by the exploits of both Bol and reigning world and Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin Levrone, Clayton said she is targeting getting another medal at the World Championships.
“I hope to win another medal in Budapest. I’m grateful to be a part of such a great, improving event with the ladies like Femke and Sydney, and I’m excited for the remainder to see what I can do against them,” Clayton said.
World 100m silver medallist Shericka Jackson finished third in the women’s 100m in 10.98. Multiple World Championships medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Cote d’Ivoire won the event in a meet record and world-leading time of 10.75 while Jackson’s MVP track club teammate Anthonique Strachan of The Bahamas was second in a personal best effort of 10.92. Strachan described the performance as a morale booster as she is seeing progress in her work this season.
“I’m very content to get a personal best despite making some mistakes in the race. It’s a great confidence boost to beat some of these women so I’m excited, and I hope to run some more PBs this season,” Strachan said. “I may run the double in Budapest – medals are nice but I always want to take stock of the progress that I’ve made and take the Champs step by step.”
Meanwhile 2019 World Championships silver medallist Danniel Thomas Dodd finished third in the women’s shot up with a best effort of 19.44m in round one. The event was won by Sarah Mitton of Canada with 19.54m while the best thrower in the world this year, Maggie Ewen of the United States was second with 19.52m. Reigning world champion Chase Ealey of the United States was third, also with 19.44m but with more foul attempts than Thomas Dodd.
World Championships silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts was fourth in the women’s triple jump with 14.33m. Kimberly Williams did not start the event. Reigning world champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela won the event with a best of 14.91m. Former world champion Tajay Gayle finished sixth in the men’s long jump with 7.87m. Simon Ehammer of Switzerland won the event with a season’s best 8.32m.