Shericka Jackson faced another challenging outing at the Jamaican World Indoor Championships qualifiers, where young sprinters took center stage. The two-time world 200m champion, making her second competitive appearance of the season, struggled to keep up with the new generation of Jamaican sprinters.
Competing at G.C Foster College, Jackson started strong, winning her heat in 7.17 seconds. However, in the final, she was unable to replicate that performance as her younger competitors surged ahead. She finished fourth in 7.14 seconds, while her training partner, Tina Clayton, dominated the race with a winning time of 7.08 seconds. Natasha Morrison secured second place in a personal best time of 7.09 seconds, with Kishawna Niles rounding out the podium in 7.12 seconds.
Jackson’s struggles have sparked concerns among fans, given that she is returning from an injury that derailed her 2024 season. However, these indoor races may serve as part of her rebuilding process as she sets her sights on the upcoming outdoor season, particularly the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
She began her season in January, competing in the women’s 60m at the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Development meet at the National Stadium in Kingston. Despite high expectations, she finished second in 7.18 seconds behind fellow Jamaican Jodean Williams, who clocked 7.15 seconds. Her second outing at the qualifiers further underlined her ongoing struggle to regain top form.
Despite the setbacks, her coach Paul Francis remains optimistic about her progress. After her season opener, he expressed satisfaction with her performance, emphasizing that she was close to her personal best and, most importantly, healthy. He noted that they would analyze her races and continue working towards improvement.
Jackson’s current struggles are not entirely unexpected, given her injury history. In 2024, she suffered a major setback at the Gyulai István Memorial, a Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix, where she pulled up injured. The injury forced her to miss the rest of the season, including the Paris Olympic Games, a heartbreaking blow to one of Jamaica’s top sprinters.
After months of rehabilitation, she returned to competition in January, aiming to gradually regain her competitive edge. While her performances so far have not met expectations, it is common for athletes recovering from injury to experience some difficulties before fully bouncing back.
With the outdoor season approaching, Jackson still has time to rediscover her best form. Her goal remains clear: to successfully defend her world title in Tokyo and reclaim her dominance on the track. The road to recovery may be tough, but if her past resilience is anything to go by, she has the potential to return stronger.
