The Albany Gazette - Hickling into worlds with Jamaican long jump title

Hickling secured her birth with a personal best 6.85m (1.5m/sec), the exact qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Budapest, Hungary in August.

The 25 year-old surpassed her previous best of 6.82m set in 2019 and joined NCAA champion Ackelia Smith of the University of Texas as the Jamaicans who have qualified for the August 19-27 championships.

Smith who had already qualified for the World Championships with her world leading 7.08m was third with a wind aided 6.66m (5.9m/sec) at the National Stadium with Chanice Porter second with a wind-aided 6.72m (3.5m/sec).

"Well, everybody's main goal is to just really qualify for the World Championship but like I said, mentally and physically I've been doing well this season so I was really expecting just to come out here and do well," the 25 year-old Hickling told reporters after the event.

Meanwhile Commonwealth Games champion Lamar Distin confirmed her place at the championships after winning the women's high jump title with a clearance of 1.91m.

Both athletes are expected to be selected for the team as Distin has already achieved the qualifying mark of 1.97m while Williams is in the World Ranking Quota.

World and Olympic medallist Shericka Jackson started the defense of her sprint double titles with an impressive win in her first round heat.

Jackson, who won the silver medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon last year, clocked 10.99 seconds (0.0m/s) to lead the qualifiers into Friday's semi-finals and final.

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah ran a season best 11.12 seconds (0.3m/s) to win her heat and advanced along with national Under-20 record holder Alana Reid who won her heat in 11.14sec (-0.6m/s) and Natasha Morrison who was also a winner in 11.00sec (-0.4m/s).

Kishane Thompson ran a massive personal best 9.91sec (0.6m/s) to lead the men's 100m qualifiers, faster than his previous best of 10.21 seconds, while Kadrian Goldson and Rohan Watson both went under 10.00 seconds for the first time.

Former World Champion Yohan Blake was disqualified after he false started.

World Under-20 Championships medallist Roshawn Clarke signalled his intention with a personal best 48.91 seconds to lead the men's 400m hurdles after Thursday's semi-finals.

The bronze medallist in Cali, Colombia last year, caught Commonwealth Games champion Jaheel Hyde at the eighth hurdle and ran away to win, lowering his previous best of 49.35sec and is just shy of both the National Under-20 record of 48.81sec and the World Championships qualifying mark of 48.70sec

Andrenette Knight ran a hard first 300m to lead the women's 400m hurdles qualifiers, clocking 54.41sec, holding off defending champion Janieve Russel (55.13sec) and Lashanna Graham (56.79sec).

Shiann Salmon won the first semi-final in 55.35sec, second best, followed by Rushell Clayton (55.73sec) and Terice Steen (58.09sec) while Sanique Walker (57.75sec) and Kimisha Chambers also advanced to the final.

(U.Gruber--BBZ)