Nia Robinson Ready for Diamond League Long Jump Debut in Stockholm

Nia Robinson, a finalist at the World Indoor Championships, is scheduled to open her Wanda Diamond League career today in the women’s long jump at the Bauhaus-Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

The former Rusea’s High competitor, who earned All-American recognition at both junior college and NCAA level, is now in her second professional season after completing her time at the University of Arkansas. With a personal best of 6.82 metres, Robinson is currently the leading Jamaican in the women’s long jump rankings.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer, Robinson said she was eager to step on to the Diamond League stage. “This is a dream come through for me. I am happy to be competing at this level and it shows that my hard work has been paying off.”

She added that her appearance at the World Indoor Championships in March gave her a stronger feel for top-level international competition, and that her focus is also on the Jamaica championships later this month. “I am looking forward to competing at national trials as I am hoping to make the team to go to the Commonwealth Games — that is my aim.”

Robinson enters the Stockholm contest after placing third on Wednesday at the Paavo Nurmi Games, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet held in Turku, Finland. She will meet a quality line-up headed by Alexis Brown of the United States, who is ranked second in the world.

The field is also expected to include American Monae Nichols, ranked fourth globally; Italy’s fifth-ranked Larissa Iapichino; and Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, who sits sixth in the world.

Three more Jamaicans are listed for action at the fifth meet of this season’s Diamond League series. Women’s shot putter Danniel Thomas-Dodd, Olympic Games men’s discus throw record holder Roje Stona, and 400 metres hurdler Assinie Wilson are all down to compete.

Thomas-Dodd, Jamaica’s champion in the women’s shot put and the world number seven, will test herself against several of the event’s leading names. Her rivals include world leader Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands, second-ranked American Chase Jackson, third-ranked Sarah Mitton, and Sweden’s Fanny Roos, who is ranked sixth.

Stona, also ranked seventh in the world in his event, will face Australian world leader Matthew Denny, along with Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh, Great Britain’s Lawrence Okoye, and Sweden’s Daniel Stahl.

Wilson has the quickest time by a Jamaican man in the 400m hurdles this year at 48.29 seconds. His race is set to feature world leader Alison Dos Santos of Brazil, Dos Santos’ compatriot Matheus Lima, and Kemorena Tisang of Botswana.