"I wanted to break a world record and I did not achieve that" - Olympic gold medallist Shericka Jackson on goals she is yet to attain
One of Shericka Jackson's goals at the 2023 Eugene Diamond League was to break Florence Griffith Joyner's world record in the women's 200m. However, it did not happen.
America's Griffith Joyner set the world record by completing the 200m race in 21.34 seconds at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
In a press conference before the Brussels Diamond League, Jackson expressed her desire to break the world record this year in Eugene if not in Brussels. However, despite clocking a spectacular 21.57 seconds in Eugene and 21.48 seconds in Brussels, it was not enough to achieve her record-breaking goal.
In a post-race interview in Eugene, the Jamaican sprinter expressed discontent at missing out on her target.
“Right now I want to achieve so much,” said Jackson. “One of my goals was to run 10.5 at the Jamaican trials and I did not achieve that, I wanted to break a world record and I did not achieve that. So coach and I will go back to the drawing board."
As the season came to an end, Jackson expressed her satisfaction with her performance throughout the season. The 29-year-old hopes for better results next season, which includes the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"Next year is an Olympic year, just wanna be something special. As I said, I just want to enjoy this, finish this and just enjoy, and then go back right to the drawing board," Jackson said.
A recap of Shericka Jackson's performances this season
Shericka Jackson has had an incredible 2023 season, showcasing several remarkable performances, including a gold medal in the women's 200m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Jackson clocked an impressive 21.41 seconds in 200m in Budapest, which was a mere 0.07 seconds short of shattering the world record. Her timing also set a new championship record, making it the second-fastest timing in the history of the event. She left behind Gabby Thomas and Sha'Carri Richardson who completed their races in 21.81 seconds and 21.92 seconds respectively.
The 29-year-old clinched a silver medal in the 100m, recording a time of 10.72 seconds. She was outpaced by Richardson who clocked an impressive 10.65 seconds.
At the Jamaican Championships held in the National Stadium in Kingston in July 2023, Jackson achieved a remarkable feat of winning double gold in the 100m and 200m sprints.
Shericka Jackson ran a spectacular dash of 10.65 seconds in Kingston, leaving behind Shashalee Forbes, who clocked 10.96 seconds. Her 10.65-second mark came just a few hours after Sha'Carri Richardson's 10.71-second performance at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships.