Despite working her way through some setbacks this year, Jamaica’s world number two-ranked triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts is headed to her first Olympic Games after winning the event at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Ministry of Sports/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last week.

The 2019 World Championships silver medallist, who is one of the elite female triple jumpers in the world, dominated the competion last week, winning with 14.46m (-0.9m/s). Also, any of her top three marks would have seen her take her third national title.

“I am not where I wish to be,” she told the Jamaica Observer after the competition.

“I had a few setbacks this season, but nontheless I am grateful [that] I am healthy and I am really looking forward to going to the Olympic Games and giving of my best,” Ricketts added.

“The magical” 15.00m mark is her target for the Olympics, hoping to better her personal best 14.98m set earlier this year.

“I know that anything over 15.00m will guarantee a medal, so that is the aim,” she said.

Ricketts, who also won two NCAA Division 1 title while attending San Diego State University, has failed to win just once in six competitions this year and that was at the Doha Diamond League meet in late May, a week after she won at the Gateshead Diamond League meet in England.

— Paul Reid