Shericka Jackson made a confident return to the 100m on Sunday at the Wanda Diamond League in Rabat, sprinting to victory in 11.04 seconds to open her season with a much-needed boost after a slow start to 2025.
Running her first 100m race since the Jamaican National Trials in June 2024, the reigning world 200m champion surged through the field in the final 40 metres to beat Liberia’s Maia McCoy (11.08) and American Jacious Sears (11.11).
“It was my first 100m since the Jamaican trials last year June and I am happy with the result,” Jackson said after the race. “I am healthy and that’s the most important thing. I did a lot of stuff good, but there are a lot of things that I can improve. But it was a good race so I leave this competition with only happy feelings.”
The win marks a positive turning point for Jackson, who has been gradually building form ahead of Jamaica's National Championships next month and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this summer.
In the men’s shot put, Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell looked poised to grab the world-leading mark with a monstrous 21.95m, only to be edged in the final round by American Payton Otterdahl, who unleashed a 21.97m throw—a new world lead. Campbell’s performance was still a season’s best and showed signs that he remains a serious contender on the global stage.
“It was a good competition. The circumstances were good, the atmosphere was nice, the stadium was packed so it was fun to compete,” Campbell said. “This is my second meet of the year so everything still feels rusty, but I am pleased with the result. We have the Diamond League in Rome in about a week so onto the next. It was my first time in Morocco and the African continent. I am very happy to be here.”
Also competing for Jamaica, Andrenette Knight finished second in the women’s 400m hurdles, running a season-best 53.90 behind Dutch superstar Femke Bol, who won in 52.46, a meeting record. Knight was satisfied with the outing but acknowledged there’s still work to be done.
“It was okay, there are still some things we need to work on. It’s just a work in progress, I am happy with the season best. I need to work on my whole set up, the race pattern. I try different things every race and just go back and see what has to be done. Next race the goal is to go even faster. It’s my first time here in Rabat, the crowd is amazing and the track is good.”
Rushell Clayton was just behind in fourth, also clocking a season-best 54.83.
Elsewhere on the track, Tobi Amusan of Nigeria delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 100m hurdles, setting a meeting record of 12.45.
“I was surprised, the beginning of the season was a little bit rough for me. But I just kept the head down and trusted the process,” Amusan said. “I just wanted to execute a clean race, so I am happy with the victory… I was here in 2019 for the African Games and I won, so it was like coming home. I was really excited.”
In the men’s 100m, South Africa’s Akani Simbine led the field with a sharp 9.95, holding off Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya (10.05) and Fred Kerley of the U.S. (10.07).
Romaine Beckford, Jamaica’s rising high jump talent, finished fifth in a tightly contested event, clearing 2.21m, equaling his season’s best. New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr won on countback at 2.25m.
One of the biggest performances of the night came in the men’s 800m, where Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela stormed to a world-leading and personal best time of 1:42.70, pulling away from Britain’s Max Burgin (1:43.34 PB) and Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:43.37 SB).
The Rabat leg of the Diamond League provided fireworks across the board, with athletes using the meet to sharpen form ahead of the critical qualifying window for the World Championships. For Shericka Jackson and Rajindra Campbell, the evening was as much a breakthrough as it was a signal that their best is still ahead.