Despite not clinching any top spots, Jamaican athletes Danielle Williams, Kishane Thompson, Jordan Scott, and Rasheed Broadbell once again underlined their world-class status as they delivered the four podium finishes among a strong Caribbean contingent at the Wanda Diamond League in Shanghai on Saturday.
In one of the most anticipated events of the night, Williams, a two-time world champion, was gallant in her effort but had to bow to a blazing performance by American Grace Stark in the women’s 100m hurdles. Williams, who had edged Stark in the Diamond League opener in Xiamen, gave another technically sound display, but Stark turned the tables this time, storming to a Meet Record of 12.42s.
Williams clocked 12.55s for a well-earned second place, while South Africa’s Marione Fourie rounded out the top three in 12.62s. Bahamian Devynne Charlton, still finding her form this season, placed seventh in a season’s best 12.78s.
Earlier, in his first 100m outing of the year, Thompson sent an early warning to his competitors, as he clocked a brisk 9.99s to finish second behind South Africa’s Akani Simbine (9.98s) in a tight finish. The legal 0.5 mps wind aided an exciting contest, where Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo was third in 10.03s, and fellow Jamaican Rohan Watson took sixth in 10.18s.
Still buoyed by his win in Xiamen, Scott produced another podium performance in the men’s triple jump. Though not at his explosive best, the Jamaican managed 17.00m on his third attempt, which proved good enough for second place. His other valid marks—16.66m and 16.52m — were below par by his high standards, and he fouled three times.
Portugal's Pedro Pichardo edged him with a season-best 17.03m, while China’s Zhu Yaming completed the top three with 16.92m.
Meanwhile, Broadbell continues to build momentum as he turned in a season’s best 13.24s to finish third in a high-quality men’s 110m hurdles. American Cordell Tinch lit up the track with a World-Leading and Meet Record 12.87s, erasing the 12-year-old mark of China’s Xiang Liu (12.97s). Japan’s Rachid Muratake ran a tidy 13.10s to take second.
Broadbell's compatriots, Hansle Parchment was sixth in 13.32s, and Orlando Bennett finished eighth in 13.49s.
Elsewhere on the track, Jamaican standout Natoya Goule-Toppin ran a season’s best 1:58.43 in the women’s 800m to place fourth in a fast race won by Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma in a Meet Record and World Leading 1:56.64. Duguma lowered the previous best of 1:58.58 set by Morocco’s Hasna Benhassi in 2005. Australia’s Sarah Billings (1:57.83) and Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi (1:58.39) were second and third, respectively.
Grenada's Kirani James ran a solid 44.94s to place fifth in the men’s 400m, as the USA’s Christopher Bailey took the win in 44.17s. The Botswanan pair of Bayapo Ndori (44.32s) and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (44.63s) were second and third, respectively.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands registered 49.15s for fifth, as Norway’s Karsten Warholm obliterated the field in a World Leading 47.28s. Brazil’s Matheus Lima, with a personal best of 48.08s, was second, and Sweden’s Carl Bengtstrom was third in a season’s best of 48.72s.
Finally, Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd was unable to get into her groove in the women's shot put, as she finished ninth with a best of 18.21m. American Chase Jackson won with a mammoth 20.54m, also a new Meet Record. Jackson bettered the previous mark of 20.23 set by China’s Lijiao Gong in 2015, as Netherlands’ Jessica Schilder (19.77m) and Sweden’s Fanny Roos, with a National Record of 19.66m, took the runners-up spots.