Seville’s 100m Triumph
Oblique Seville secured a victory in the men’s 100m at the Meeting International d’Athlétisme Herculis in Monaco, marking the 10th stop of the Wanda Diamond League series. He recorded a time of 9.88 seconds. This performance followed a second-place finish in Eugene the previous week.
In Monaco, Seville competed for the first time, outpacing Jordan Anthony of the United States, who finished second with 9.92 seconds. Emmanuel Eseme from Cameroon secured third place, clocking 10.00 seconds. Seville, who is the world leader in the 100m, was looking to return to winning ways after his previous outing.
The field in the men’s 100m also included Marcel Jacobs of Italy, Ronal Longa of Colombia, and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana. Longa, the newly crowned Pan-American champion, had previously run 9.85 seconds. Seville had been beaten by Ajayi Kayinsola in Eugene the week before.
Strong Performances in Field Events
In the men’s long jump, Wayne Pinnock delivered an impressive performance, achieving a season’s best of 8.39m to finish second. All six of his attempts in the competition surpassed the 8.00m mark. Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece, an Olympic Games and World Championships gold medallist, won the event with a world lead and meet record of 8.61m. This performance broke the previous meeting record of 8.58m, which was set in 1995 by Ivan Pedroso.
Tentoglou’s jump also surpassed Simon Ehammer’s previous world lead of 8.51m. Jorge A Hodelin of Cuba, a World Under-20 record holder, placed third with 8.38m. Tajay Gayle, another Jamaican competitor, finished seventh in the long jump with a mark of 8.04m. Gayle has a season’s best of 8.37m, while Pinnock’s season best was 7.93m prior to this event.
In the men’s high jump, Romaine Beckford tied for fourth place with JuVaughn Harrison of the United States, both clearing 2.23m. Oleh Doroshchuk of Ukraine claimed victory by clearing 2.32m, ahead of Kimani Jack of Great Britain (2.30m) and Anil Kushare of India (2.26m). Beckford had previously achieved a credible third place at the Rome Diamond League and had won consecutive events leading up to Monaco.
Women’s Track and Field Highlights
The women’s 400m race saw Nickisha Pryce achieve a season’s best of 49.56 seconds, finishing fourth. The event was won by world leader Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who set a new meet record of 48.67 seconds. This time lowered the previous record of 48.97 seconds, set in 2018 by Shaunae Miller-Uibo. Aaliyah Butler of the United States was second with 48.84 seconds, and Lurdes Gloria Manuel of Czechia finished third in 49.44 seconds.
Dejanea Oakley, who had a winning start to her professional career in Paris, was also expected to compete in the 400m. Oakley, who is ranked number two in the world, had a season’s and personal best of 48.79 seconds. She had previously won in Eugene after Paulino withdrew from the race. Pryce and Oakley were scheduled to clash for the first time this season, having both skipped the recent National Senior Championships.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, national champion Demisha Roswell placed sixth with a time of 12.56 seconds. Masai Russell of the United States set a new meeting record of 12.20 seconds, surpassing the 12.30 seconds set by Nia Ali in 2023. Alaysha Johnson, also from the United States, was second with a season’s best of 12.38 seconds, while Nadine Visser of the Netherlands placed third in 12.49 seconds. Roswell, the fastest Jamaican in the event this season with 12.40 seconds, was aiming for a quicker time after being left off Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games team.
Ackelia Smith finished eighth in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 14.02m. Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba won the event with a personal best of 15.06m. Saly Sarr of Senegal also achieved a lifetime best jump of 14.99m, and Thea Lafond of Dominica placed third with 14.79m. Smith is the national double champion in the women’s long and triple jumps.
The Herculis EBS meeting at the Louis II Stadium featured eight Jamaicans competing across various events.
Source: jamaicaobserver.com
Ama Serwah
Yaw Appiah
Kwame Ofori
Evelyn Mensah