Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce and Shericka Jackson were winners at Saturday’s opening Wanda Diamond League meet in Shaoxing, China, taking the women’s 400m and 200m events respectively. Both were opening their outdoor seasons and laid down top five times.

Pryce, the national champion, produced a strong final 50 metres to catch American Aaliyah Butler just before the finish line to win with 49.75 seconds, third-fastest in the world so far this year. Stacey-Ann Williams was fourth with 50.59 seconds.

Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce (left) sprints before crossing the finish line to win the women’s 400m event during the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League athletics meeting in Keqiao, Shaoxing in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on May 16, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Jackson ran a well-judged race to win in 22.07 seconds (0.3m/s), tied for fourth in the world in 2026, to finish ahead of Olympic and World Championships gold medalist Shaunae Miller Uibo of the Bahamas who ran 22.26 seconds.

Megan Simmonds was fourth in the 100m hurdles, running 12.73 seconds (0.4m/s), national record holder Ackera Nugent was sixth with 12.98 seconds, while two-time World Champion Danielle Williams hit the first hurdle and did not finish the race.

World Championships silver medallist Orlando Bennett was fourth in the 110m hurdles in a season’s best 13.20 seconds (0.1m/s), fifth best in the world this year.

In the field events, Danniel Thomas-Dodd placed fifth in the women’s shot put with a best of 19.12m and Tajay Gayle was sixth in the men’s long jump with 7.93m (-0.4m/s), just ahead of Wayne Pinnock’s 7.93m (-0.2m/s).
-Paul A Reid