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Shericka Jackson hunts season’s best in Oslo
May 30, 2024
WORLD 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson says she is looking forward to running a season's best in the half-lap event when she competes at today's Bislett Games Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway.
Speaking at yesterday's pre-meet press conference, Jackson stated that these Diamond League events are being used to fine-tune her preparations for the JAAA/Puma National Junior & Senior Championships set for June 27-30 at the National Stadium.
"My aim is just to go out there and compete at my best. I'm definitely looking forward to a season's best but I'm also building to Jamaica trials which comes up next month and I'm taking it one step at a time. I'm in way better shape than I was in two weeks ago, so I'm looking forward to great things," she said.
Jackson's season's best for the 200m is 22.82, a time she clocked while winning the event at the Rabat Diamond League meet on May 19.
Jackson should expect strong challenges from the likes of Britain's Daryll Neita, Cote d'Ivoire's Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and American Brittany Brown, whose 22.35 is the fastest time this year among the runners in the field.
The 29-year-old Jackson, who is the second-fastest woman of all-time in the event, reiterated that her focus, along with her coach Paul Francis, has not waned from eclipsing Florence Griffith-Joyner's world record mark of 21.34.
"Coach and I have been working on many things and last year we came close. This year we'll be working on the fine details as we hope for the best at the end of this season," she added. Jackson's personal best time for the 200m is 21.41.
With seven national titles, three Diamond League titles and four World Championships gold medals already in the trophy cabinet, Jackson revealed that she would like to add an individual Olympic gold medal to her collection with the Paris Games fast approaching.
"I'm yet to have an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games, so that's definitely one of my goals this year and I'm working to achieve that at the end of August," Jackson stated.
Other Jamaicans on show include Rusheen McDonald in the men's 400m, Fedrick Dacres in the men's discus, Rohan Watson and Yohan Blake in the 100m, Natoya Goule-Toppin in the women's 800m, and the trio of Andrenette Knight, Rushell Clayton and Janieve Russell in the women's 400m hurdles.
