NOT FAST ENOUGH!
MOST women sprinters who run a world-leading time and season’s best 10.82 seconds over 100 metres would be very happy, but that’s not the case with reigning world 200m champion Shericka Jackson.
The 28-year-old Jackson lit up the National Stadium during Velocity Fest 13 on Saturday as she obliterated her rivals to win the 100m final by more than five metres, but she was not happy with the time despite it being the fastest season opener of her career. Her performance also erases the previous world-leading time of 10.86 seconds, which was set by the American Aleia Hobbs earlier on Saturday.
Jackson told the Jamaica Observer during an interview that she was was expecting a faster time.
“No, I am not surprised by the time. I am actually disappointed because I told one of my teammates that I was coming here to run 10.79. But, I am still grateful,” said Jackson.
“Anything is possible this season because I don’t limit myself to what I can achieve — and I think [my] coach does the same. So for me right now it is to go back to the drawing board because I probably made a lot of mistakes that he will correct.
“I think this is my fastest opener so I am just taking it each race at a time. I am grateful that I am healthy and so I am just looking forward to racing a lot this year and to fix what needs to be fixed,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who also won a silver medal in the 100m at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, has a personal best time of 10.71 in the event. The versatile athlete is the second-fastest woman of all time in the 200 metres with a time of 21.45 seconds.
She has received a bye for the 200m at this year’s World Championship, which will be held in Budapest, Hungary. Jackson stated that her main focus now is to qualify for Jamaica’s 100m team.
“It is one step at a time because I just want to remain focused, and remain healthy, and go back to the drawing board and work on what needs to be worked on — and hopefully at the Jamaica Trials I will make the Jamaica team at 100 metres. I already have a bye for the 200 so that will be my main focus at the Jamaica Trials,” Jackson said.
