Rome turned the epicenter of observe and subject brilliance on Friday as Jamaicans Shanieka Ricketts and Andrenette Knight delivered show-stopping performances on the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea—marking the fifth cease of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League circuit.
Ricketts claimed her second Diamond League victory of the season within the girls’s triple bounce, whereas Knight secured her first-ever win on the distinguished tour with a commanding efficiency within the girls’s 400m hurdles.
Their success highlighted a night that additionally noticed spectacular podium finishes by compatriots Rushell Clayton, Rajindra Campbell, and Romaine Beckford, signaling Jamaica’s depth and energy throughout a number of disciplines.
Ricketts guidelines the pit with season’s finest
From her very first try, Olympic silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts seized management of the ladies’s triple bounce. Launching out to a season-best 14.64 meters, she set a tone that nobody else may match for the remainder of the competitors.
“The competitors felt actually good,” Ricketts mirrored after her win. “Attaining a season’s finest on the primary try – I’m grateful for that. Main from the start places you in a relaxed temper.”
Regardless of her commanding lead, Ricketts admitted she couldn’t capitalize additional.
“Sadly, I couldn’t use that to leap additional. Now I can construct on this going ahead.”
Behind her, Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez took second at 14.46m, with Olympic champion Thea LaFond of Dominica claiming third at 14.30m.
Knight’s breakthrough: Golden second within the hurdles
In one of many meet’s most emotionally charged performances, Andrenette Knight stormed to victory within the girls’s 400m hurdles with a season-best 53.67 seconds—a profession milestone that catapulted her into the world’s high 5.
“This season has been going nicely,” stated a beaming Knight. “I simply type of had that quantity in thoughts, for no cause. I got here so assured to Rome… it simply has been enchancment on enchancment.”
Knight, who had impressed earlier on the Grand Slam meet in Philadelphia, held her type masterfully down the stretch, outlasting Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso (54.21) and fellow Jamaican Rushell Clayton, who additionally produced a season-best 54.31 for third place. Shiann Salmon completed seventh in 55.47 seconds.
“I do know I’m fairly sturdy. I’ve the pace, so it’s only a matter of tweaking a couple of issues to deliver the time down,” Knight added, visibly thrilled by her development.
Campbell and Beckford return to type
After an uncharacteristic stumble in Poland, Rajindra Campbell rebounded emphatically in Rome, hurling the shot put 21.64 meters to seize third place behind New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, who led with a season-best 21.89m. Italy’s Zane Weir edged Campbell for second with 21.67m.
Romaine Beckford, in the meantime, soared to 2.26 meters within the males’s excessive bounce—his season’s finest—clinching third behind Korea’s Sanghyeok Woo (2.32m) and Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk (2.30m). Raymond Richards, the World Indoor bronze medalist, struggled on the evening and positioned eleventh with 2.12m.
Strong performances in hurdles and jumps
Within the males’s 110m hurdles, Orlando Bennett posted a season-best 13.29 seconds to complete fourth, narrowly lacking the rostrum in an exhilarating blanket end. Switzerland’s Jason Joseph took gold in 13.14 seconds, edging American Cordell Tinch—additionally clocked at 13.14 seconds. Omar McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion, positioned eighth in 13.58 seconds.
Within the males’s lengthy bounce, Carey McLeod landed at 8.01 meters, ending fifth in a stacked subject led by Liam Adcock of Australia, who claimed victory with a private finest 8.34m. Italy’s Mattia Furlani (8.13m) and Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou (8.10m), the reigning Olympic and world champion, accomplished the rostrum.
U.S. sprinter steals highlight
Although Jamaica impressed throughout the board, the sprinting highlight in Rome belonged to Trayvon Bromell of the USA. In a surprising show of energy and precision, he clocked a world-leading 9.84 seconds within the males’s 100m. Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme adopted in 9.99 seconds, and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala was third in 10.01 seconds.
