Paris, France — Shanieka Ricketts captured the silver medal in the women’s triple jump at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, marking a significant achievement in her career and for Jamaican athletics.
The 32-year-old athlete jumped to a season-best 14.87 meters, securing her place behind St Lucia’s Thea Lafond, who set a national record with a 15.02-meter jump. American Jasmine Moore claimed the bronze with a season-best 14.67 meters.
Reflecting on her achievement, Ricketts shared her emotions and journey, noting that the reality of becoming an Olympic medalist hadn’t fully sunk in. “Not really,” she said, when asked if she felt like an Olympic medalist. “A little bit after I exited the pit it’s like, okay, I’m an Olympic medalist, but I think maybe tomorrow morning when I wake up I’ll realize what just happened because this is literally a dream of mine. I think every athlete dreams of being an Olympic medalist.”
Challenges faced
Ricketts acknowledged the challenges she faced leading up to the Games, describing a season that hadn’t gone as planned. “The season wasn’t exactly what I would have wanted it to be. Training was going good and everything, but in competition, I wasn’t getting the distances,” she explained. “So I just had to trust and believe and keep putting in the work, and that’s what I did, and it paid off tonight.”
The journey to her silver medal was not easy, as Ricketts had to fight hard against a strong field. “I came in ranked between fifth and seventh, so I knew that I had to fight tonight if I wanted a medal because everyone in the field is capable of jumping big distances,” she said. “It was just a matter of who turned up and who stayed true to the game.”
Ricketts also shared the emotional moment she had with her support team after securing the medal, recounting the difficult training sessions leading up to the competition. “Just four weeks coming into the Olympic Games, I remember one training session where I was like, ‘This is not happening,’ and I didn’t know how I was going to contend for a medal. I had to dig really deep, trust God, and believe that the work I put in would pay off, and that’s what happened.”
It means everything
Having missed the podium with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Ricketts was determined not to experience that disappointment again. “It is true [that fourth place is the loneliest place] because up until last night, it played on my mind. I’m like, I can’t let that happen again, so it’s like a constant reminder,” she said. “As the rounds progressed, I just made sure that that didn’t happen because I don’t think I could live with coming fourth again.”
Ricketts expressed her pride in being an Olympic silver medalist and a role model for others, including young rising star Ackelia Smith. “It means everything. To be a role model to other persons, we have Ackelia Smith, and I remember when she was at Edwin Allen High School, I had the privilege of speaking to her at a track meet and shared a few tips. She’s here, she’s competing with me,” she said. “To know that when I decide to move away from the sport, it’s in safe hands, that means a lot to me.”
Looking ahead, Ricketts was excited about celebrating her achievement in a simple yet joyful way. “Ice cream! Any flavor, just ice cream, and burger, and fries, and pizza, and everything that’s bad,” she said with a laugh.
Her silver medal adds to Jamaica’s growing list of field event successes, highlighting a broader rise in the nation’s athletic prowess beyond the track.
