It’s a good time to be a Jamaican in the Wanda Diamond League at the moment. Since athletics’ premier one-day series resumed after the Olympic Games last month, victories have been flooding in on the track for the black, green and gold.
First, it was Ackera Nugent and Tia Clayton. The two women both claimed impressive victories in Silesia, with Clayton winning the 100m and Nugent setting a new Jamaican record in the 100m hurdles. Nugent then followed that up with a Jamaican record in Rome.
At Weltklasse Zurich on Thursday, there was another Jamaican double. In the last meeting before the series final,Roshawn Clarke and Shiann Salmon both claimed victories in the men’s and women’s 400m hurdles respectively. But it was Salmon’s triumph which was the OMEGA Moment of the Meeting.
The 25-year-old had endured a season of near misses in the Diamond League so far this season, finishing second in Marrakech and Rome and fourth in Silesia.
Those performances were enough to see her qualify for the final, but Salmon was still chasing her first ever Diamond League win when she settled in the blocks in Zurich on Thursday.
She delivered just that, chasing down Shamier Little and Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell on the home straight to claim a stunning victory. As she crossed the line, the Wanda Diamond League’s official timekeeper OMEGA clocked her at 52.97, a new personal best for the Jamaican.
I came into this race with a strategy to come out, keep it up until the home straight and then finish strong. I did that and I came with the victory so I am grateful. It was not something new, it was just executed well tonight,” said Salmon.
“I had the goal to run the 52 seconds and that was my main motivation to run so well. And we have two Jamaican wins, that is great.”