Reigning Women’s World Athletics 200m champion, Shericka Jackson, has achieved another remarkable feat as she secures a spot among the nominees for the highly prestigious 2024 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year. The announcement, made on Monday, February 26, recognizes Jackson's outstanding achievements on the track.
Jackson, who clinched her second world 200m title in Budapest last year with a remarkable time of 21.41 seconds, stands as the second-fastest of all time, just seven hundredths of a second shy of Florence Griffith-Joyner's 35-year-old record. Additionally, she earned a silver medal in the 100m at the World Championships and dominated the 2023 Diamond League, claiming titles in both the 100m and 200m events. Her exceptional form was further emphasized by a personal best of 10.65 seconds at the Jamaica national championships in June.
The Jamaican sprinter finds herself in the esteemed company of two other track and field luminaries: Women's World 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA and Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who made history by becoming the first woman to triumph in both the 1,500 and 5,000 meters at the World Championships.
The list of nominees is completed by outstanding athletes from various disciplines, including Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmati, American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, and Polish tennis sensation Iga Swiatek.
It's worth noting that Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce claimed the prestigious Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award in 2023. This adds an extra layer of distinction to Jackson's nomination, as she follows in the footsteps of her illustrious compatriot.
The Laureus World Sportsman of the Year category boasts an equally formidable lineup, featuring Noah Lyles, Novak Djokovic, Mondo Duplantis, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Max Verstappen.Mikae
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Paolini 'gave everything' as Italy booked place in Billie Jean King Cup final
Jasmine Paolini says she "gave everything" to help Italy reach a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup final, after beating Iga Swiatek's Poland in doubles.
Swiatek had pulled the semi-final level after coming from behind to beat Paolini in their singles match earlier on Monday before the world number two stepped in to play the doubles decider.
However, it was Olympic gold-winning pair Paolini and Sara Errani, who would triumph 7-5 7-5 in straight sets.
Poland had three chances to take the first set but were valiantly denied by Italy, who impressively turned things around to win.
They fought from the brink in the second too, coming back from 5-1 down to go on a six-match winning streak and book their place in Wednesday's final.
"It was tough... the intensity was insane, I was a little bit tired, but I said to myself, you still have to play the doubles, you have to give everything for Italy, for my team," said Paolini.
"When I lost the [singles] match, I was a little bit sad, but then tried to go in the locker room and think positive about the doubles."
Italy will make their seventh appearance in the showpiece match, and will play either Great Britain or Slovakia.
Swiatek keeps Poland in fight for place in Billie Jean King Cup final
Iga Swiatek kept Poland's hopes of reaching the Billie Jean King Cup Final alive, coming from behind to beat Jasmine Paolini in their singles match.
The world number two fought back to claim a thrilling 3-6 6-4 6-4 victory in two hours and 36 minutes to level the semi-final tie after Lucia Bronzetti beat Magda Linette in straight sets in the opening match of the round.
Swiatek and Paolini met earlier this year in the final of the French Open, where the Pole brushed the Italian aside in straight sets to clinch a third consecutive crown at Roland Garros, but she faced a much tougher test on Monday.
Both players were unbeaten in Malaga coming into this match, and it looked like Paolini could cause an upset after claiming her first-ever set against Swiatek.
However, Swiatek dug deep to get the win and force the tie to go to doubles, which she will once again play, with Magdalena Frech unable to participate.
Michael Johnson optimistic about bright future for field events amid rise of track-centric meets
Legendary sprinter Michael Johnson, the founder of the upcoming Grand Slam Track (GST) series, is confident that field events will not be sidelined despite the emergence of track-only competitions like GST and September's all-woman Athlos NY meet. Instead, Johnson envisions a future where field events flourish in their own right, buoyed by specialized leagues and platforms.
Grand Slam Track recently announced its inaugural season for 2025, with meets scheduled in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. As excitement builds for the all-track format, concerns have surfaced about the potential marginalization of field events like the shot put, discus, javelin, and triple jump. However, responding to a query from Sportsmax.TV, Johnson dismissed these fears, offering a compelling case for optimism.
“I think you will see quite the opposite,” Johnson said. “Ryan Crouser, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the shot put, is going to start his vision for a throws league that is specifically for the throws where the fans who actually appreciate those events and understand the great athleticism that is required for those events can actually be closer to the action. And so those events don’t fall secondary to what’s happening on the track, and I have offered my support to Ryan for that.”
Johnson, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and former 200m and 400m world record holder, pointed to Crouser’s initiative as an example of how specialized leagues can elevate field events.
“So I don’t think you will see those events continue to go away. I think it’s the exact opposite,” Johnson continued. “I think that there has been inspiration around how you now create leagues for those events as well, where you can make those events more prominent.”
Field events have experienced a resurgence in recent years, with Caribbean athletes making significant strides on the global stage. Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott and Grenada’s Anderson Peters have won Olympic and World Championship medals in the javelin. Jamaica's Roje Stona set an Olympic record to win gold in the discus, with compatriot Rajindra Campbell claiming shot put bronze. Dominica’s Thea LaFond made history by winning her country’s first Olympic medal, a gold in the triple jump, ahead of Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, a two-time World Championship silver medalist.
Johnson believes specialized leagues and tailored events are key to ensuring that these athletes and their disciplines receive the recognition they deserve.
“Right now, they’re getting lost in a huge stadium where fans far away can’t actually see and appreciate the athleticism,” Johnson explained. “So I think that this [Grand Slam Track] paves the way for a brighter future for the field events.”
Grand Slam Track’s inaugural season promises to bring a fresh, dynamic format to track events, while Johnson’s endorsement of field-event-specific leagues highlights his broader vision for athletics as a sport. With initiatives like Crouser’s throws league on the horizon, Johnson’s optimism reflects a shift toward creating dedicated platforms for all disciplines to shine.
The 2025 GST series, set to kick off with a meet in Kingston from April 4-, marks an exciting evolution for the sport. As Johnson’s vision takes shape, the future appears brighter not just for track athletes but for the field-event stars whose talents deserve a stage of their own.
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