Evidently, Shericka Jackson sustained an injury three weeks prior to Paris 2024.
Shericka Jackson, a sprint sensation from Jamaica, finished the 200 meters in Szakesfehervar, Hungary, which is only 65 kilometers from Budapest. It was there that she shocked the athletics world by winning the World Championships in a time of 21.41, which was extremely near to the legendary world record set by “Flo Jo” (21.34).
Nearly a year ago, Shericka Jackson astonished the athletics community by taking home the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships on August 25th. She accomplished this by running the second-fastest 200 meters ever in 21.41 seconds, trailing only Florence Griffith-Joyner’sastoundingand enigmatic world record of 21.34 in Seoul in 1988 by a mere seven hundredth of a second.
In her quest for Olympic gold in the half-lap race, the Jamaican star made history on the banks of the Danube at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest with one of the most incredible performances of the twenty-first century, posing a threat to the world record held by the late “Flo Jo.”
Along with her victories in the 100m in Hungary (10.72), just ahead of USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson (10.65), and the 4x100m relay with Jaimaca, Jackson was unable to defeat Sha’Carri by 18 hundredths (41.21 to 41.03) despite an incredible final leg.
The Saint Ann native has never won an individual Olympic medal (she is currently the 4x100m champion), but she did win a bronze in the 400m at Rio 2016 (she began as a lap runner) and the 100m at Tokyo. Everything appeared to be going well for her in Paris.
Three weeks and three days before the Stade de France athletics competition began, she raised eyebrows when she appeared for Tuesday’s 200-meter race at the Gyulai István Memorial in Szakesfehervar, Hungary (just 65 km from Budapest) wearing a brace on her left knee. Her victory in the 100 and 200 meters at the Jamaica Trials was her first race since then.
After a patient first 50 meters, Jackson made a brilliant turn to take the lead in spite of Julien Alfred’s presence. She then abruptly slowed down, grimaced, and put her head in her hands as she eventually crossed the finish line in 36.21 seconds, ahead of her Santa Lucia rival’s 22.16 seconds.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, a fellow countrywoman who won gold in the 100 and 200 meters in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, respectively, has already been ruled out of the Paris Games due to her Achilles tendon injury. Therefore, the Jamaican 4×100 relay team would suffer greatly from another injury.
Is Shericka Jackson’s ability to compete in the Olympics really in danger? Further details will be released in the next days, but Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico—the current Olympic 100-meter hurdles champion—had a similar experience when she withdrew from the Paavo Nurmi Games on June 18 and went on to win the Paris Diamond League two weeks later and on Tuesday in Szakesfehervar. Let’s observe and wait!
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