Parchment, Ricketts win in Europe

Budapest World Championships 110 metres silver medallist Hansle Parchment and triple jump finalist Shanieka Ricketts continued their winning ways on the European circuit yesterday with wins at the final World Continental Tour Gold series in Zagreb, Poland.

Parchment made it back-to-back wins by capturing the men's 110 metres hurdles in 13.13 seconds, which followed his big win over World Championships gold medallist Grant Halloway of the United States of America (USA) at the recent Xiamen Diamond League meet in China.

The Jamaican had to once again run from behind after another average start but had to display his usually late dash to defeat World Championships bronze medallist Daniel Roberts of the USA, who finished second in 13.15 seconds as Wilhem Belocian of France got third in 13.30.

Competing in her third meet in five days, Ricketts made it three consecutive wins. Coming off a personal best and first-time ever over the 15 metres barrier in the triple jump two days earlier at the Brussels Diamond League meet, Ricketts won easily yesterday, leaping a modest 14.53 metres.

Dariya Derkach of Italy took second with 14.07 metres as World Championships finalist Kimberly Williams of Jamaica produced her first top-three finish of the season by doing 13.70 metres to finish third.

Three other Jamaicans had second-place finishes at the meet. They are Candice McLeod in the women's 400 metres, Oblique Seville in the men's 100 metres and Fedrick Dacres in the men's discus.

The first Jamaican in action yesterday, McLeod, a finalist in the women's 400 metres in Budapest, was close to winning her first race of the season on the European circuit, however, she was edged out by Great Britain's Laviai Nielson with 50.93 seconds.

McLeod settled for the runner-up spot with 50.94 seconds as Ireland's Sharlene Mawdsley ended third in a personal best of 51.09.

World Championships fourth-place finisher Seville, despite a good start in the men's 100 metres, completed the event in 10.07 seconds to finish behind Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala, who clocked 9.94, with Olympic Games winner Italy's Lamont Jacobs, clocking 10.08 seconds for third. Jamaica's Rohan Watson was seventh in 10.32.

In the men's discus, World Championships finalist Dacres threw 66.54 metres for second, behind winner Kristjan Ceh of Slovakia with 68.48 metres, while Matthew Denny of Australia finished third with 65.25 metres.

The other Jamaicans at the meet, Amoi Brown and Michael Campbell finished fourth and eighth in the women's 100 metres hurdles and men's 200 metres, respectively.