World Athletics Championships: Shericka Jackson wins the 200m gold, shattering her own national record
The second-fastest woman in the history of the sport, Shericka Jackson, took home the gold medal at the World Athletics Champions final. She set a world championship record and represented Jamaica with pride by finishing in 21.45 seconds. The 1988 Seoul Olympics saw the late Florence Griffith-Joyner set the only faster time ever measured, 21.34 seconds. This indicates that Jackson is currently the “fastest woman” in the world. The championship game was held on Thursday, July 21, at Hayward Field in Eugene.
The Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson competes in the 100, 200, and 400-meter distances. Jackson, who was born on July 16, 1994, started gaining recognition after winning the bronze medal in the 400-meter race at the 2016 Olympic Games, the 2015 World Championships, and the 2019 World Championships. Jackson switched to the 100-meter and 200-meter runs for the 2021 season. At the Jamaica Olympic Trials in Kingston, he ran a personal best of 10.77 seconds in the 100-meter run and 21.82 seconds in the 200-meter run.
In a championship-record time of 21.45 on July 21, Jackson defeated teammates Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (21.81) and Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain (22.02). Elaine Thompson-Herah, who won the gold medal at the Olympics, finished eighth in a time of 22.39. Tamara Clark, an American, finished sixth in a time of 22.32, while Abby Steiner placed fifth in a time of 22.26. With a personal best time of 10.73, Jackson placed second in the 100-meter race on Sunday. Usain Bolt tweeted “Brilliant” along with two Jamaican flags right after he won to show that he had won gold for the evening.
Thanks to Noah Lyles, who successfully defended his title from Doha with a stunning world-leading and lifetime-best time of 19.31 to move up to third place all-time best, the USA finished with their second sprint sweep of the championships.