Jamaican track star Shericka Jackson has revealed that winning an individual Olympic gold at this summer’s Paris Games holds more significance for her than breaking the long-standing women’s 200m world record.
The 29-year-old athlete, known for her versatility across the 100m, 200m, and 400m distances, has accumulated numerous global medals, including five Olympic medals. However, an individual gold has eluded her, with her sole Olympic gold coming from Jamaica’s 4x100m relay victory at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Jackson, who initially specialized in the 400m before transitioning to the shorter sprints, expressed her determination to secure an individual gold medal. “I have not had an individual gold medal in the Olympic Games,” Jackson said. “In 2021 (in Tokyo) I wanted one 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. I definitely hope I will achieve it by the end of the coming Olympics.”
A pragmatic stance
When asked about the possibility of breaking Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 1988 world record of 21.34 seconds in the 200m, Jackson maintained a pragmatic stance. “I don’t let what the media wants eat me up mentally,” she stated. “A lot of persons might get carried away by just being focused on ‘Oh, I want to break the world record.’ You probably have it in mind but you’re not going to put it at the forefront. For me, it’s just once I execute a good race, then I definitely will run a fast time.”
Jackson, the second-fastest woman of all time over 200m and the fifth fastest in the 100m, made a late start to her season with a 22.82-second win at the Diamond League meet in Marrakesh. She acknowledged the need to improve her performance and has since been working on her body weight with her coach, Stephen Francis.
“After Marrakesh, we reconsidered a lot of stuff, especially my body weight, and I think we did pretty good over the past two weeks with dropping down a little bit,” she explained. “We’re not where we want to be in terms of body weight, but we’re right there, and we have two months to go. Once coach gets me in the right shape, which I definitely know he will at the right time, then anything is possible.”
The influence of her senior teammate, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Reflecting on her Olympic memories, Jackson highlighted the influence of her senior teammate, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a five-time 100m world champion. “The only person I watched growing up is probably some of the quarter-milers and Shelly-Ann,” she said, recalling Fraser-Pryce’s first Olympic 100m gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Competing alongside Fraser-Pryce, Jackson noted, is both challenging and inspiring. “It’s always good to compete with persons that are hard-working. When they go at the line, you definitely know you’ll have to bring your ‘A game.’ I can’t make any mistakes because all of us are right there and all of us want to win and compete at our best. I just love competing with her.”
As Jackson prepares for the Paris Olympics, her focus remains steadfast on achieving individual glory, a testament to her dedication and resilience in the sport.
