Shericka Jackson is the toast of 2022. The Jamaican sprinter has been in a new phase of her career. Since winning the 100m bronze in Tokyo Olympics, she has set a buzz ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
In June, Shericka, originally a quatermiler, set the third-fastest time of all time in women's 200m, clocking the season-best 21.55 seconds at the Jamaican national championships. In the same event, she clocked 10.77s in 100m to set the second-fastest time of the season.
Going into the World Championships, she is an outright favourite for the 200m gold as her nearest rival Abby Steiner is trailing by 0.12s.
Sprinter Shericka Jackson | Photo Credit: AFP
Shericka will also be in contention for the 100m title, which may turn to be an all-Jamaican podium finish, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce going strong at 35 and reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah expecting to be fit.
Incidentally, when she started athletics, Shericka was not a child prodigy. She had not won anything during her formative years. She considered herself a 'slow runner' for 100m and 200m dashes. Even when she opted for 400m, she was afraid of competing in international events. It was not until the 2016 Olympics that she won a medal in a marquee international event.
Now, as Shericka stormed sprinting tracks in the ongoing season, she is a clear favourite to fulfil her longstanding dream of winning an individual gold medal at the World Championships.
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