Dacres delivers Diamond.
AFTER BECOMING the first Jamaican to win a Diamond League trophy in a field event, Fedrick Dacres is already looking forward to repeating the feat next season after winning big in Brussels yesterday.
The national record holder sailed the disc to 68.67 metres to win the men’s Discus Throw event in the IAAF Diamond League finals in the Belgian city. His effort beat Lithuanian Andrius Gudzius’ 67.56 metres and Sweden’s Daniel Stahl’s 66.74 metres.
“Next year, I want another Diamond League (trophy) win,” Dacres said. “I didn’t have the opportunity to compete much this year, yet I felt pretty comfortable tonight. The 30-second rule indeed gives us an extra challenge. You don’t get the chance to really get into the competition.”
Dacres left the King Baudouin Stadium with the Diamond League Trophy and the US$50,000 ($6.8 million) cash prize.
Former world 100m champion Yohan Blake blitzed a season-best performance of 9.94 seconds to finish third in the men’s 100m race, but the former St Jago High School athlete was not pleased with his race execution.
“I’m not satisfied about my performance. My reaction time was awful. I tried to catch up my opponents after that, but it was impossible, and I don’t know why. It is so disappointing because I had the feeling that my legs were ready today. I could have won the race,” Blake said.
World record holder in the 60 metres Christian Coleman won the event in a world-leading time of 9.79 seconds. His compatriot Ronnie Baker, ran back to finish second after he was left in the starting blocks.
Another former world champion for Jamaica, Danielle Williams, also finished third in her event, the women’s 100m hurdles race. Williams eked out 12.64 seconds in a close finish that saw Olympic Champion Brianna McNeal getting the win in 12.61 seconds and world record holder Kendra Harrison grabbing the second spot with 12.63 seconds.
The pair of Hansle Parchment and Ronald Levy finished third and seventh, respectively in the men’s 110m hurdles. Parchment stopped the clock at 13.35 seconds, while Levy registered 13.47 seconds. Russia’s Sergey Shubenkov won the race in 12.97 seconds.
Shericka Jackson, 22.72 seconds, had to settle for fourth in the women’s 200m as Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo finished off her dominant season by winning the event to claim the Diamond League trophy. Miller-Uibo stopped the clock at 22.12 seconds, while Dafne Schippers grabbed the second spot with 22.53 seconds.
Stephenie-Ann McPherson finished fifth in the women’s 400m in 51.40 seconds. Bahrain’s Eid Salwa Naser won the event in 49.33 seconds. The American pair of Phillis Francis, 50.51, and Shakima Wimbley, 50.77, finished second and third, respectively.