Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson said Wednesday she will not compete in the women’s 100m at the Paris Olympics…
Paris, (APP – Pakistan Point News / UrduPoint – July 31, 2024) Shericka Jackson of Jamaica said on Wednesday that she will not be competing in the Olympic women’s 100-meter race in Paris.
“I’m just going to run the 200 meters here,” declared Jackson, the two-time world 200-meter champion who took home silver in the last two world championships and bronze in the Olympic 100 meters at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I think it was a good decision,” the thirty-year-old remarked in reference to her choice to concentrate on the 200 meters.
“Coach and I came to a choice that served our mutual interests.
“I’m content all the time. You must take the greatest possible care of your body, mind, and spirit. I accept the judgment as made.”
Jackson did, however, make her declaration after she appeared to be hurt late in a race in Hungary three weeks prior.
When the Jamaican suddenly slowed down, grimaced, and buried her head in her hands as she eventually crossed the finish line, she was leading the race going into the home straight.
When asked about her choice, Jackson stated, “It’s a combination of things.”
“It’s wise for me to do just one event because I was injured in Hungary.
“I believe that this is basically a physical defense. I’ve been participating in both events for the past three years, and I believe that what’s occurring on this is a blend of both, even if I’m only concentrating on one.”
Jackson had achieved the sprint double at the renowned difficult Jamaican trials.
The women’s 100-meter race at the Paris Olympics is set to begin with round one at the Stade de France on Friday.
The final and semifinals are scheduled for this coming Saturday.
The 200-meter preliminary round is scheduled for Sunday, followed by the semifinals on Monday and the championship on Tuesday.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jackson’s teammate, won the 100 and 200 meters in the Tokyo Olympics.
Jackson will now focus just on the 200 meters. She has won numerous global medals and is the only athlete in the history of the world championship to earn medals in the 100, 200, and 400 meters, as well as the 4×100 and 4×400 meters 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 4×100-meter relay.
“It means a lot, I don’t have an individual Olympic gold medal,” she stated.
At the moment, Jackson is the fifth-fastest woman in the 100 meters and the second-fastest woman in the 200 meters.
However, she maintains that winning gold in the 200 meters is more significant than trying to top Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 1988 world record of 21.34 seconds.
“You probably have it in mind, but you’re not going to put it at the forefront… because what if you’re not mentally strong and then you don’t break the world record, then it will play on your mind,” she stated to AFP.