Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts came into the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday, June 12, hoping to continue her impressive start to the 2025 Diamond League season.
Despite a solid effort, the two-time Diamond League winner fell just short of a third victory this year, settling for silver in the women’s triple jump.
Mixed Conditions and a Late Surge
Ricketts, who secured wins in Doha and Rome earlier this season, produced a best effort of 14.57 metres, a mark good enough for second on the night but not enough to catch Cuba’s Leyanis Pérez Hernández, who claimed victory with a leap of 14.72 metres.
America’s Jasmine Moore rounded out the podium in third place with a 14.41-metre jump.
Speaking after the competition, Ricketts admitted the challenging, inconsistent wind conditions in Oslo made it difficult for her to find her rhythm early on.
“I certainly left it late today but I got there in the end and had a couple of good jumps in the mix,” Ricketts reflected. “The wind was very mixed today, moving around quite a lot.”
Looking Ahead to Kingston and Beyond
Despite missing out on victory, the Jamaican remains the leader in the Diamond League standings for the women’s triple jump with 16 points, thanks to her earlier triumphs in Doha and Rome.
Now, her focus shifts to the Jamaica National Senior Championships in two weeks, a crucial stepping stone as she builds towards the World Athletics Championships later this season.
“The season has started quite well for me, so I just need to keep jumping well. I’ll be confident for Tokyo,” she added.
Ricketts’ Season So Far
The Oslo performance continues what has been a strong season for the 2019 World Championships and 2024 Olympic silver medallist. She opened her Diamond League campaign with a 14.64m jump in Rome and holds a season’s best of 14.64m, with sights firmly set on surpassing that mark in the upcoming meets.
Her personal best outdoors remains an impressive 15.03m, achieved in Eugene at the 2023 Diamond League, making her one of the top contenders for global honours this year.