Alumna Shanieka Ricketts wins silver at the Paris Olympics
É«ÇéÊÓƵ Hall of Famer Shanieka Ricketts (Thomas) is only the second-ever Aztec women’s track and field alumni to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
Shanieka Ricketts (Thomas) won silver in triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday afternoon. It is the first Olympic Games medal for the É«ÇéÊÓƵ Hall of Famer.
She is the second Aztec women’s track and field alumni medal at the Olympic Games – Lynn Kanuka won bronze in the 3,000m run in 1984.
On her first jump of the afternoon, Ricketts leapt 14.61m (-0.1), ranking as the second-best mark through the field’s first round of jumps. Her second time on the runway saw a huge improvement to 14.87m (-0.7) and secured her spot in the top eight for three more attempts. On her sixth and final jump, she went 14.73m (-0.7) having already secured a spot on the podium.
Her 14.87m jump is a season best for Ricketts and represents her best jump at any of her three Olympic Games appearances.
Olympic Triple Jump Results (medalists)
Gold: Thea Lafond – Dominica (15.02m)
Silver: Shanieka Ricketts – Jamaica (14.87m)
Bronze: Jasmine Moore – United States (14.67m)