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World champion Jackson not expecting 'super-fast' time in Zurich but hints at world-record attempt before season's end
Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Diamond League. | 30 August 2023 | 1160 Views
Tags: Athletics, 200M, Colin Jackson, Diamond League, Shericka Jackson, World Record

Shericka Jackson doesn’t expect to run a very fast 200m at the Diamond League meeting on Thursday but has hinted that she could take a crack at the world record in the remaining races she has this season.

The 29-year-old Jamaican successfully defended the title she won last year in Oregon while breaking her own championship record of 21.45. In Budapest, Jackson dominated the field to win in 21.41, the second fastest time in history.

Only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34 set back in 1988 has been faster than Jackson’s time. At Wednesday’s press conference, Jackson revealed she was disappointed at not getting closer to the world record but understood that the conditions were not ideal.

During the 200m final, the trailing win was a negligible 0.1m/s so when the moderator Colin Jackson asked whether the world record would have been in jeopardy had she had the maximum allowable wind of 2.0m/s, Jackson replied, “I didn’t know the wind at the time but when I going around and I saw it I was like, why couldn’t I get a little (1m/s) or something, but it’s give and take. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it on that day but I have three more 200s this season, so definitely.”

However, for Thursday, Jackson, who admitted that she is a bit ‘under the weather’, sees the 200m race as an opportunity to make a few adjustments to her race. “Coach and I have been working on some small details in the 200m. I think for the remainder of the season it’s all 200s. I just finished the world championships. I had a good training session yesterday (Tuesday), hopefully I have a good one today too, so it’s just to have some fun tomorrow.

“I don’t think tomorrow will be super-fast but I just want to have some fun and execute as best as I can.”

In Zurich, Jackson will line up against Bahamian champion Anthonique Strachan, Great Britain's Daryll Neita, the USA's Jenna Prandini, Tamara Clark, Twanisha Terry and Brittany Brown.