DESTINY IN DOHA 2019
2019 DESTINY IN DOHA
emerged as world‐class last year and now looks set to join two‐me runner‐up James Beckford on the very short list of Jamaican men who have won World medals in the long jump. If he jumps at the level that gave him a naonal record of 8.32 me‐ tres on July 20, his chances of po‐ dium me will be very, very good. Second to Cuban wonder boy Juan Miguel Echevarria at the Pan‐Am Games, his consistent form makes him a man that defending cham‐ pion Luvo Manyonga will watch keenly. He might be inspired by Shanieka Rickes in the women’s triple jump. The same goes for World Cham‐ pionships debutantes Tissannna Hickling and Chanice Porter. Third at the Pan‐Am Games, Hickling is the tall, fast and powerful Jamaica long jump champion and Porter is the uber‐talented 2011 World Under‐18 and 2016 NCAA cham‐ pion in the same event.
FULL CIRCLE FIELD EVENT GLORY IN DOHA
It might surprise sprint fans that Jamaica’s first internaonal medals came in the field. That start came from high jumper Joseph McKenzie in the 1930 CAC Games, and from Bernard Prendergast later in the same year in the discus at the Commonwealth Games. With discus ace Fedrick Dacres leading a strong field event challenge at the upcom‐ ing World Championships in Doha,
things have come full circle.
in Rabat, Morocco. Of the three who beat him in 2017, only Super Swede Daniel Stahl has thrown further this season. Kept out of the Diamond League by the vagaries of the new world rank‐ ings and the whims of meet direc‐ tors, Smikle is amongst the top 10 in the world. At the last World Championships, he surprised
With 4th and 8th finishes in the 2017 World Championships to their credit, Dacres and his training part‐ ner Traves Smikle head to Doha seeking medals. Dacres has cked all the boxes, with a solid defence of his Pan‐American Games tle in July, consistent throws all season and a naonal record 70.78 metres
in the last decade when O’Dayne Richards won the shot at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. His triumph seemed to open a door, and aer Dacres and Richards won at the 2015 Pan‐Americans, the field events train has been rolling ever since. Dacres, World under‐18 winner in 2011 and World under‐20 champion in 2012, seeks the medal that will give him a matched set in Doha. If he succeeds – and there is every indicaon that he will – Bernard Prendergast will be some‐ where smiling. 2014 Commonwealth Games champion O’Dayne Richards is a big-games performer in the shot put
Altogether, they represent a shi in Jamaican athlecs that started
everyone by reach the final; now the lehander will step into the circle at Doha with a point to prove. Shanieka Ricketts won the 2019 Diamond League trophy in the triple jump to stake her claim in Doha Even though she too finished fourth in London, shot puer Danniel Thomas‐Dodd was even closer to a medal than Dacres. She was third unl Anita Marton of Hungary bumped her off the podium in the final round. Since then, Thomas‐ Dodd has won the Commonwealth Games and taken second in the World Indoor Championships. This year, she upped her Jamaican record to 19.55 metres to win gold at the Pan‐Am Games. In July, Track & Field News pped Dacres and Thomas‐Dodd for medals in Doha. In addion, the magazine placed consistent long jumper Tajay Gayle on the podium as well. Gayle is a new name who
Fedrick Dacres has won global championships at youth and junior levels
Commonwealth Games champion Danniel Thomas-Dodd is edging close to 20 metres.
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