Black Immigrant Daily News
EUGENE, Oregon: Nothing feels better than when you achieve a personal best and that is why Jamaica’s triple jumper Ackelia Smith flashed a broad smile as she walked through the Mixed Zone on day two of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.
The 20-year-old student at the University of Texas in the United States, who is seen as a possible successor to the likes of Shanieka Ricketts and Kimberly Williams, reeled off a big personal best of 14.36m to book her spot in the final on Monday.
The 14.36m effort came on her final jump and it was enough to surpass the qualifying mark for the final.
“I am super happy,” said Smith. “I went out there for a personal best and I did just that and there is nothing more else I can ask for.”
Smith’s 14.36m represents the sixth best of the 12 qualifiers.
Smith, who finished second behind Ricketts at the Jamaica trials in June, is not thinking about a medal in Oregon, where Yulimar Rojas is expected to rule.
Rojas, a five-time world gold medallist, Olympic champion, and world record-holder, led all qualifiers with 14.62m.
At the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, the Venezuelan triple jump superstar has the chance to become her event’s first three-time women’s world outdoor champion,
“My goal is to get a new personal best in the final because I am competing against a lot of ladies with a lot of experience,” said Smith.
She is looking to add aggression to her jumps when she competes in the final.
“My techniques are ok enough to get me a big jump,” Smith told Loop Sports. “But one of the things that I did lack the most today was aggression and I think that I did get that on my last jump.”
Ricketts, who produced a 14.45m effort to secure an automatic qualifying spot into the final, was very happy for Smith.
“I am just having goosebumps right now. I just spoke to her before coming over here (the mixed zone). I told her to forget everything and just pretend as if she is in training,” said Ricketts.
The 30-year-old Ricketts will enter the final with the fifth-best qualifying jump.
The third Jamaican – Kimberly Williams – is also through to the final.
NewsAmericasNow.com
