Sherica Jackson opens up on reason behind impeccable season

Shericka Jackson is the world's fastest woman in the 200m event

ATHLETICS Sherica Jackson opens up on reason behind impeccable season

Mark Kinyanjui 21:33 - 21.09.2023

Jackson defended her 200m Diamond League trophy and delivered the 100m trophy for the first time in her career.

Jamaican sprint sensation Shericka Jackson has rated her season after winning the Prefontaine Classic at the Eugene Diamond League in Oregon to cap off an impressive season.

The 29-year-old entered the meet as the reigning Diamond trophy winner in the 200m and was aiming to defend that title as well as claim her maiden trophy in the 100m.

She achieved the latter on Friday, running 10.70 for victory. Saturday saw the two-time World Champion claim her second straight trophy in the 200m, running a meet record 21.57, her fourth straight time below 22 seconds, for a comfortable win.

Jackson mentioned after the 200m that winning both trophies has been among her goals for the past two seasons.

Speaking on the Real Talk With Tee, Jackson rated her season as a ten out ten, something that made her “happy” after completing the diamond sprint double for the first time in her career

“Ten. I think this is my most consistent season. I think I did pretty good this year,” Jackson said, “I stayed so consistent, keep running fast and have some fun,” she added.

“I think that sums up everything. It was really a fantastic season.”

Quizzed about what she worked on this year that she will carry on to the next season, Jackson said that she learned how to run with a smile on her face, something she does not intend to change next season.

“Just to be happy. Whenever I am happy I perform so well. I think this year was a living testimony of how happy I am happy on the track.

“Win or lose I still have a smile. I have a 1000 pictures with my beautiful smile. I think that is one thing, just keep working hard and believe in myself.

“Last year I wanted two diamonds. That is one of my goals that I wrote down. I did not achieve that so when I was rewriting my goals I wrote them again and here I am today. Two diamonds.”

Jackson has advised fellow upcoming athletes to believe in themselves to make it, after she also endured a series of failures since launching her Diamond League career in 2016

“Right now I have three trophies. I started running on the diamond league circuit in 2016- fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh- I could not win nothing, but here I am today, three trophies. Believe in yourself and never give up no matter what.

“If you are not winning, keep going, keep working hard and you will get there. I am here!”

In 14 100m races this season, Jackson ran faster than 10.8 six times including her personal best of 10.65 registered to defend her Jamaican 100m title in July. Jackson also ran 10.72 for silver at the World Championships in Budapest.

In the half-lap event, Jackson ran 11 races with seven seeing her dip below 22 seconds.

In the last month alone, Jackson has run the 2nd, 4th and 8th fastest times in history with her 21.41 at the World Championships in Budapest, 21.48 at the Brussels Diamond League and 21.57 on Sunday. Jackson also owns the 3rd and 6th fastest times ever.

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