Shanieka Ricketts won the triple jump with the second best jump of the competition and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran out of gas and finished third in the 200m at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco today (July 9).

The introduction of the controversial ‘final-three’ concept for field events was once again glaringly exposed when the Jamaican won the triple jump despite a 15.12m mark set by Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas.

Ricketts opened with an effort of 14.75m, which qualified her for the top three along with Rojas and Patricia Mamona, who jumped a personal best and national record of 14.66m on her fifth attempt.

However, during the ‘final-three’ jump, Ricketts jumped 14.29m that was good enough for victory as both Rojas and Mamona fouled their final jumps.

MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT RESULTS

The Venezuelan naturally had mixed feelings at the results.

“I am happy and at the same time a bit disappointed with the last two fouls I did today that were very big jumps but that is the way competition is,” she said.

“Sometimes things don’t always go according to plans but I am leaving happy and satisfied with the work we have done and for the way I have been jumping lately. Now we are going to recharge the batteries before Japan and that was my last competition before the Games.”

Tajay Gayle suffered a similar fate to Rojas in the long jump. Leading the long jump with 8.29m, the 2019 World Champion was forced to settle for second place.

Miltiadis Tentoglou jumped 8.24m in the final-three round to claim victory. Thobias Montler, who had a personal-best 8.27m in the earlier rounds, ended third after he, too, fouled his final jump.

Meanwhile, Shaunae Miller-Uibo rebounded from her loss in Hungary on Tuesday to win the much-anticipated clash with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The Bahamian came into the straight in third place behind the Jamaican champion and Marie Josee Ta Lou but managed to walk them down and got to the line first in 22.23.

Fraser-Pryce was in lock-step with the Ivorian with less than 50m to go but she seemed to run out of energy and slowed noticeably, allowing Ta Lou to move ahead but just failing to hold off the Bahamian.

Still, she managed to achieve a season-best 22.25 while Fraser-Pryce clocked 22.48.

Returning from injury, the Bahamian was pleased with the outcome.

“We are focusing on the 200m at the minute and I want something new,” said Miller-Uibo.

“We are getting the races in so we can get back in the best possible shape before Tokyo. The girls out there are running great times at the minute but there is nothing I love more than great competition. The current level we see out there is very motivating and I am very happy to see women on top of the sport now and making the headlines.”

It took the personal best times of three athletes to outpace Natoya Goule in the 800m.

FADED TO FOURTH

The diminutive Jamaican, who ran a season best 1:56.44 in Stockholm on July 4, was in the lead with about 80m to go but faded to fourth in 1:57.35, her second best time this year.

Great Britain’s Laura Muir was among the three women who passed Goule down the home stretch. She would go on to win in a personal best 1:56.73. Her compatriot Jemma Reekie clocked a personal best 1:56.96 for second place.

The USA’s Grace Kate, who was third in Stockholm, ran a personal best 1:57.20 for third.

Rose Mary Almanza, the winner in Stockholm, slipped from second to ninth and finished in 1:58.51.

Karsten Warholm did not disappoint in the 400m hurdles winning in 47.08 ahead of the impressive youngster Alison dos Santos. The Brazilian ran 47.51 for second.

Estonia’s Rasmus Magi was a distant third in 48.83.

Ronnie Baker pulled off an upset over Olympic gold medal favourite Trayvon Bromell in the 100m. Baker clocked 9.91. South Africa’s Akani Simbini ran 9.98 for second place and Marcell Jacobs third in 9.99. Bromell was fifth in 10.01.