BUDAPEST, Hungary — Shanieka Ricketts is hopeful for a third-straight medal in the women’s triple jump at the World Athletics Championships, after she recorded a season’s best 14.62m (1.4m/s) on her first attempt on Wednesday.

Ricketts, the silver medallist in the last two World Championships, led the field at National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, with her best qualifying mark ever.

She will be joined by veteran Kimberly Williams who got the exact automatic qualifying mark- 14.30m (-0.5m/s), a season’s best, also on her first attempt.

Ackelia Smith failed to advance, however, after managing just 13.95m (-0.3m/s) for 17th overall.

World and Olympic champion and double world record holder Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela needed just one jump — 14.59m (-1.3m/s) — to progress.

After fouling her first effort, Thea Lafond set a Dominican national record 14.62m (0.0m/s) on her second jump to advance as well.

Ricketts had no time nor energy to waste in hot conditions.

“That’s always the intent — to come out and to use as less energy as you can and conserve for the final,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“This is the biggest first jump of all in my career so I’m definitely happy with that, and I’m just hoping to build on that into the final.”

Getting her season’s best at the championships, Ricketts said, was a good sign.

“It means that I am peaking at the right time, you could say that. This is the season best thus far and I’m just hoping that I can do even better on Friday.”

A week ago Ricketts’s coach, Kerry Lee Ricketts, told reporters he expects her to come good when it matters most.

On Wednesday she said she is locked in on gold but would not be too dissatisfied once she makes the podium.

“Going into any major championships the aim is to be on the podium. I’ve been in the second spot a few times so definitely, I am eyeing the top. But honestly, any medal would be adequate; I would be grateful for any medal,” she said.