Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson has decided not to compete in the 100 metres at the Paris Olympics due to an injury she suffered in a tune-up race earlier this month. She will instead focus on the 200 metres, where she is the world champion and has run under 21.5 seconds. Jackson’s decision comes after pulling up with an injury in a race in Hungary three weeks ago, where she was leading before slowing down and eventually walking across the finish line.
Despite winning national titles in both the 100 and 200 metres earlier this year, Jackson and her coach Stephen Francis made the decision to only run in the 200 metres at the Olympics. She joins other top Jamaican sprinters like Elaine Thompson-Herah on the sidelines, while veteran Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is competing in her fifth and final Olympics. Jackson’s coach believes she is physically ready to compete, but Jackson described the decision to only run in the 200 metres as a combination of factors that have contributed to a rocky road on her journey towards success.
During the last Olympics, Jackson misjudged the competition in the 200 metres, finishing fourth in the opening round and failing to advance to the final. Despite the disappointment, she still found the overall Olympic experience to be a great one and went on to win a gold medal in the 4×100 metre relay with her Jamaican teammates. Jackson has high hopes for the 200 metres in Paris, where she is aiming to improve on her performance from the last Olympics and potentially break the world record set by Florence Griffith Joyner 36 years ago.
With American sprinter Gabby Thomas posting the top times in the 200 metres this year, Jackson faces stiff competition in her bid for another world title. However, she believes she is healthy and ready to compete at her best in the 200 metres event. The schedule for the women’s track events at the Paris Olympics includes the opening round of the 100 metres on Friday, followed by the semifinals and final on Saturday. The 200 metres event will commence on Sunday with the finals scheduled for Tuesday, giving Jackson the opportunity to showcase her skills and potentially secure another victory on the world stage.
