Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson withdrew from the women’s 200 meters on Sunday and will not compete for an individual medal at the Paris Games.
Jackson, the reigning world champion and the second-fastest woman ever in the 200 meters, had already pulled out of the 100 meters due to a leg injury she sustained during a practice race last month. The reason for her withdrawal from Sunday’s race is not clear.
This makes American Gabby Thomas the favorite to win the 200 meters. Thomas advanced easily through her qualifying heat in 22.20 seconds, as did Julien Alfred, who ran 22.41 about 13 hours after winning the 100 meters against Sha’Carri Richardson.
Jackson’s absence is another setback for the Jamaican women, a strong force in Olympic sprinting who won 15 out of 24 medals in the 100 and 200 meters from 2008 to 2021.
All three sprinters from Jamaica’s 100-meter sweep in Tokyo are missing in Paris. Elaine Thompson-Herah, who won the 100 and 200 meters, ended her season early due to an Achilles tendon injury.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also withdrew shortly before the 100-meter semifinals on Saturday night due to an undisclosed injury, expressing her disappointment on social media.
Jackson, who won last year’s world championships with a time of 21.41, just .07 seconds shy of the world record, ran a slower 22.29 at her country’s Olympic trials in June. In a race in Hungary on July 9, she stopped before finishing, raising concerns about her condition with the Olympics approaching.
