(LOOP News) – Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight and Shanieka Ricketts secured wins at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, the fifth stop of the 2024 Wanda Diamond League series, in Rome on Friday.
Knight, a 2023 World Championship finalist, claimed a clear win in the women’s 400m hurdles, clocking 53.67 ahead of Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso in 54.21. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton, a two-time world bronze medallist, placed third in 54.31. Another Jamaican, Shiann Salmon, finished seventh in 55.47.
Shanieka Ricketts, of Jamaica, makes an attempt in the women triple jump at the Diamond League Golden Gala Pietro Mennea athletics meet at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino).
Olympic and two-time world silver medallist Ricketts topped a triple jump contest featuring multiple global medallists, leaping 14.64m to beat world indoor champion Cuba’s Leyanis Perez (14.46m) and Olympic champion Dominica’s Thea LaFond (14.30m).
In the men’s 110 metres hurdles, Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett placed fourth in 13.29, while compatriot Omar McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 world champion, finished eighth in 13.58. Switzerland’s Jason Joseph flew off the final hurdle to triumph, holding off USA’s world leader Cordell Tinch, who hit the final barrier, and they both crossed the finish line in 13.14.
Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford claimed third in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.26 metres. South Korea’s two-time world indoor gold medallist Woo Sanghyeok won with a first-time clearance of 2.32m, ahead of Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk (2.30m).
