"To be in a race with her it's amazing" - Shericka Jackson is all praises for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as she is set to compete in her final Olympics

By Nandika Chand

Modified May 03, 2024 07:34 GMT

Olympic champion Shericka Jackson is all praise for fellow athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is set to retire after the Paris Olympics 2024. Jackson is looking forward to running at the upcoming Summer Games with Fraser-Pryce.

In an interview with Athletics Weekly, the Jamaican sprinter shared that she is star-struck by the 20-time global medalist Fraser-Pryce. Jackson said she first saw Shelly run in the 2008 Olympics:

"she has been amazing."

The 4x world champion added:

"she's (Fraser-Pryce) running so fast after having a son is something inspirational to many," Jackson said. "I think she inspire so many mom that went and have a baby." (via Athletics Weekly)

Jackson said she has always watched Fraser-Pryce run:

"To be in a race with her, because we were at the Olympic, we were at World Championship twice...it's just something amazing."

The women's 200m champion said Fraser-Pryce will be very much missed.

You can watch Jackson's interview here:

Shericka Jackson works on positive mindset ahead of Paris Olympics

Shericka Jackson at Prefontaine Classic: Day 1 - Diamond League 2023

Jackson, 29, is aiming to shatter Florence Griffith-Joyner's 200m world record at the upcoming Paris Olympics. To achieve this, she is working on her positive mindset. The sprinter told Loop News in March 2024 that, though she is determined to break records:

"It's not something we are going to dwell on every race," she said. "Once I'm healthy and once I'm in peak form, anything is possible."

Jackson shared that she is positive:

"My mindset is really, really positive and it's grounded and it's happy. Once you have a positive mindset approaching training each day, I think it's something that we as athletes look forward to every day."

The 3x Diamond League champion acknowledged the hard work required to reach the top ranks:

"There is so much work that needs to be done to be even greater," Jackson said. "It feels good when I sit down and my name is mentioned among the top greats - especially running the 100, 200 and 400." (via Loop News)

Jackson, who began her career as a 400m sprinter, is a five-time Olympic medalist. She is the fifth fastest woman of all-time in the 100m and the second-fastest woman in history in the 200m race.

Moreover, Jackson is the first athlete in the World Championship history to have won medals in the 100, 200, and 400m divisions, as well as relays - 4x100m and 4x400m.