BUDAPEST, Hungary, Sep 14, CMC – Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond and Jamaica’s Commonwealth gold medalist Romaine Beckford both failed to medal in their respective events on the final day of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships here on Sunday.
LaFond, who copped gold in the women’s triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished just outside the medals with her leap of 14.47 metres good enough for fourth.
The event was won by Saly Sarr of Senegal with a leap of 15.06m, with the Cuban duo of Davisleydi Velazco (15.04m) and Leyanis Hernandez (14.90m) placing second and third respectively.
Ackelia Smith of Jamaica was fifth with her leap of 14.23m.
Meanwhile, Beckford also narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the men’s high jump.
The 24-year-old had to settle for fifth after clearing 2.26m, the same height as bronze medalist Erick Portillo of Mexico and Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk who placed fourth.
Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore finished fifth in the women’s 200m in 22.34 seconds, with USA’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completing the sprint double by capturing gold in a world leading time of 21.47 seconds.
Fellow Jamaican Bryan Levell was sixth in the men’s equivalent in a time of 20.07 seconds, as Kenneth Bednarek of the USA added to his 100m title by storming to victory in a world leading 19.52 seconds.
The Jamaican pair of Sanique Walker, who clocked a personal best of 53.61 seconds and Rushell Clayton (54.32), finished fifth and eighth respectively in the women’s metres hurdles and their 4x400m mixed relay team of Zandrion Barnes, Shana Anderson, Assinie Wilson and Stacey-Ann Williams were sixth in 3:11.46.
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