Jackson chases Diamond League hat-trick Sprinter among several Jamaicans hunting spot in grand finale

AFTER a four-week break, the Wanda Diamond League series will continue today with its 12th leg in Lausanne, Switzerland, where seven Jamaicans will be involved. Two of them, triple jumper Jordan Scott and 400m hurdler Rushell Clayton, have already booked their tickets for the grand finale in Brussels.

Shericka Jackson, who is fourth in the women’s 200 metres, along with long jumpers Tajay Gayle and Wayne Pinnock, who are third and fourth with 14 and 12 points, respectively, could book their final berths.

Jackson, who scored two wins earlier in the series after clocking 22.07 seconds in Shanghai, before running a season-best 21.87 in Xiamen, could pick up a third win today and seal her final spot.

Expectations

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the meet, Jackson stated that she is taking it one day at a time ,when asked about her expectations.

“Mentally, I do not know how good I am at the moment, but I am physically well, and I do not know what to expect,” said Jackson.

The athletes will be running on a new surface but, when Jackson was asked about the new track after working out on it the previous day, her reply was: “I did not even know that it was a new track. But I am just as prepared to do my best.”

Jackson is competing for the first time since losing her long-time coach, Stephen Francis. She will compete against new European champion Amy Hunt of Great Britain, who has a season-best 22.19, and Kayla White of the United States, with a season-best 21.92.

Jackson will have a hectic weekend, as, two days later ,she is set to run in a stacked 100 metres line-up in Silesia, Poland.

Tough triple jump field

Triple jumper Jordan Scott will be the first Jamaican in action today at 12:10 p.m. Jamaica time. The Diamond League leader with 22 points, Scott, with a season and personal best of 17.76m, will face world leader Andy Hernandez Diaz of Italy, whose best is 18.15m, and Pedro Pichardo of Portugal, with a best of 17.76m.

Rushell Clayton, like Scott, having already booked a final berth in Brussels from September 4 to 5, will contest the women’s 400m hurdles and will be hoping to improve on her season-best 53.05 as she goes up against event and world leader Emma Zapletalova of Slovakia, with a best of 52.30, and the United States duo of Anna Cockrell (52.77) and Jasmine Jones (52.91).

National 100m hurdles champion Demisha Roswell will contest the women’s 100m hurdles, while Orlando Bennett will compete in the men’s 110m hurdles, which is a non-Diamond League event.

Schedule for Jamaicans

12:10 p.m. – Men’s Triple Jump: Jordan Scott

1:04 p.m. – Women’s 400m Hurdles: Rushell Clayton

1:15 p.m. – Women’s 200m: Shericka Jackson

1:48 p.m. – Men’s Long Jump: Wayne Pinnock, Tajay Gayle

1:50 p.m. – Women’s 100m Hurdles: Demisha Roswell

2:23 p.m. – Men’s 110m Hurdles: Orlando Bennett