Two-time women’s world 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson will head the list of Caribbean athletes looking to make a strong finish when the World Athletics Diamond League gets ready to crown its champions at the Prefontaine Classic in the United States.
Jackson is among the world’s best athletes heading to Hayward Field in the American city of Eugene looking to end their seasons on a high.
The 29-year-old Jamaican sprinter has set her sights on breaking the women’s world 200m record of 21.34 seconds set by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988, and the Diamond League Finals is the final big stage opportunity this year for her to try to break this record. Jackson clocked 21.41 secs to retain her title at the World Championships last month in Budapest. She also ran 21.48 at the Diamond League meet recently in Brussels, and is edging closer and now has three of the four fastest times in the women’s 200, but she will be hoping she has enough in the tank to enable her to achieve the record with her down to race in the women’s 100 at this meet.
Jackson will line up against a field that includes multiple global medalist Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, Daryll Neita of Great Britain, Jenna Prandini of the United States, and Anthonique Strachan of The Bahamas. Danielle Williams, another two-time world champion, will be hoping that she can also become a double Diamond League Finals winner in the women’s 100 hurdles.
The 31-year-old Jamaican claimed her second world title in Budapest eight years after her first, and she will aim to regain the Diamond League title after her first victory four years ago.
All three world medalists feature in another strong field, with Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico and Kendra Harrison of the United States targeting their first Diamond League trophy along with American Nia Ali and Nigerian Tobi Amusan.Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica will face world champion Grant Holloway of the United States. Parchment, 33, won the race at the Diamond League meet in Xiamen after Holloway hit the last hurdle. Holloway has had Diamond League wins in Florence, Paris, and London, as well as the world title. The two champions will be joined by a field that includes American Daniel Roberts, who joined them on the podium last month in Budapest. World bronze medalist Sada Williams of Barbados will look to pose a stiff challenge in the women’s 400.
World champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic lived up to expectation to win the one-lap title in Budapest. World silver medalist Natalia Kaczmarek will also hope to spring a surprise. The Jamaica pair of Rushell Clayton and Janieve Russell are expected to put up a challenge against world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands in the women’s 400 hurdles.
Tajay Gayle will be looking to build on his world bronze medal and leap to his first Diamond League title in the men’s long jump, but Simon Ehammer of Switzerland is one of the jumpers standing in his way, with only five centimetres splitting the pair on season’s bests.
Natoya Goule-Toppin of Jamaica is also expected to put up a challenge in the women’s 800, where the thrilling opportunity of an unexpected rematch between global medalists Mary Moraa, Keely Hodgkinson, and Athing Mu will take center stage.
