Track sensation Shericka Jackson of Jamaica stated on Wednesday that breaking the long-standing women's 200-meter world record was not her top priority, but rather winning an individual Olympic gold medal at the summer's Games in Paris. With a plethora of global medals under his belt, 29-year-old Jackson is the only athlete in the history of the world championship to win gold in the 100, 200, and 400-meter events as well as the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays. She has also won five Olympic medals, the only one being a gold in 2021 at the COVID-postponed Tokyo Games while competing for Jamaica in the 4x100-meter relay.
She started out as a 400-meter specialist but eventually switched to sprinting, winning bronze in the 100-meter event in the capital of Japan. She went on to win two 200-meter world titles in Eugene and Budapest in 2022 and 2023, respectively. "I haven't won an individual gold medal at the Olympics," Jackson responded when asked about her drive for success in the absence of the Jamaican women's relay teams, who are known for their superiority. She said, "I wanted one in 2021 (in Tokyo) and I did not even make it to the 200, so definitely it's something that I'm looking forward to, something I'm working towards," in an interview with AFP ahead of the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday.
"I sincerely hope that by the end of the upcoming Olympics, I will achieve it." Jackson was less candid when discussing Florence Griffith-Joyner's 1988 200-meter world record of 21.34 seconds. "I don't let the desires of the media consume my thoughts because I believe that many people could become overly fixated on the idea that they should achieve a world record or do this or that.
"It's likely on your mind, but you won't focus on it too much—say, 'I'm going to break the world record today, or whatever—because what if you're not mentally tough enough to succeed? Then it will just continue to bother you." It was all about timing and execution, according to Jackson, the fifth-fastest woman in history in the 100 meters and the second-fastest woman in the 200 meters. "I will undoubtedly run a fast time once I execute a good race," the individual said. At the Diamond League meet in Marrakesh, Jackson started her season late and, in her own words, labored her way to victory in 22.82 seconds.
Since then, she acknowledged, things have changed, and she and coach Stephen Francis have been figuring out how to help her drop some weight. "We reevaluated a lot of things after Marrakesh, including my body weight, and we think we did pretty good with dropping down a little bit over the past two weeks," she said to AFP. "We're not at our ideal body weight, but we're close, and we still have two months left, so we're focusing on a few things that have been helping. "Anything is possible once coach gets me in the right shape, which I know he will at the right time."
"It's always beneficial to compete against hardworking people, and when they put their best foot forward, you know that you have to bring your "A" game. I can't make any mistakes because everyone else is right there, wanting to win and give it our all. "I simply adore racing against her."
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