EUGENE, Oregon — Shanieka Ricketts was in the middle of her interview in the mixed zone, after qualifying for the final of the women’s triple jump on Saturday’s second day of the World Athletics Championships, when she was told that 20-year-old Ackelia Smith had jumped a personal best 14.36m (0.1m/s) on her final attempt and had also advanced.

Ricketts, the silver medallist in Doha in 2019, had to stop her interview for a moment, turn away from the members of the media to collect herself, and when she turned back around, there were tears in her eyes.

“I have goosebumps right now; I am so happy for her.”

Ricketts, who posted 14.45m (-0.1m/s), Indoor Championships bronze medal winner Kimberly Williams 14.27m (1.2m/s), and Smith created history for Jamaica as it was the first time three triple jumpers were qualifying for the women’s event at a major global championships.

Ricketts was the only one of the three to get the automatic qualifying mark of 14.40m for the final set for Monday afternoon, and was fifth overall after the qualifying that was led by Venezuela’s world record holder Yulimar Rojas who jumped 14.72m on her only attempt. Smith, meantime, was eighth overall and Williams took the final spot in 12th place.

Ricketts and Williams echoed each other when they said it was exciting times for Jamaica’s women’s jumping, setting the pace for others to come through.

The women also represented three different generations as Smith spoke about looking up to Ricketts and Williams, while Ricketts had Williams and national record holder Trecia Kay Smith as her role models.

The circle was completed with Ricketts taking Smith, the University of Texas freshman, under her wings during the championships and gave her some words of encouragement: “You got this. Focus, block everything out, and pretend you are the only person here.”

Smith, who admitted having a nervous start, had jumped 13.63m (0.8m/s) and 13.75m (-0.1m/s) in the first two rounds before her big jump, beating her previous personal best 14.08m set earlier this year.

Smith, who placed ninth in the triple jump at the World Under-20 in Nairobi, Kenya, last year, said: “My coach told me that I have nothing to lose, I am young and [have] a bright future ahead of me.”

She admitted that she was “a little starstruck” by the big-name athletes that she was going up against and said that could have caused her early mistakes.

Ricketts, who said she was motivated by placing fourth at the Olympic Games last year after she was expected to medal, said the plan was to get to the automatic mark early.

“The goal for the qualifying was to conserve energy and I got it on the first jump, so that was good, and now I am looking forward to the final and what it will bring. I hope to bring my ‘A’game and will take the competition as it comes.”

Williams, 33, is the most senior member of the trio and was also happy with the achievements, saying she recalls when it was just herself and Trecia Kay Smith, then herself and Ricketts at the major championships.

“This shows it is not just about the sprints but we are making strides in the jumps as well,” she stated, adding Ackelia was one for the future.

“What we have here will ensure continuity in the event,” she noted.

— Paul Reid