‘Right where I need to be’
Published:Tuesday | June 6, 2023 | 12:06 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
With a reset of her goals this season, world 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson is manifesting her desires for the 100 metres, hoping it will lead to a World title.
Jackson clocked a meet record of 10.78 seconds at last Saturday’s Racers Grand Prix in front of an energetic crowd at the National Stadium.
It is the earliest that Jackson has hit the 10.7 mark having clocked 10.77 to win the national title in June 2022. It was also the target that she set for herself before the race.
“I actually wrote 10.78 on a piece of paper. I wanted to run 10.75 but I said I will take 10.78. I took a picture of it and I have it on my phone. I was like when I finish I am going to post it to Instagram,” Jackson said. “Coach (Paul Francis) and I always talked about writing what you want to achieve. And once you write it and see it every day it is achievable and always tell yourself it is achievable.”
The challenges that Jackson has had to battle during her three years in the short sprints have made her stronger mentally and although success has created outside expectations of where she can reach, she is determined to continue having a tunnel vision approach.
“I don’t think I am the person who cracks under the pressure of what people expect of me. I know what I am capable of, coach knows what I am capable of,” Jackson said. “Us working together is a good combination to achieve what I want to achieve. At the 2021 Olympics when I didn’t make it in the 200m, it broke me mentality and I had to go to the drawing board. I know that everybody will talk but you just have to focus on the goals that you want.”
One of her goals is a maiden World 100m title, something that she believes she is in good stead to achieve in her current form with adjustments to her technique.
“I think I made a little misstep at the end of the race. Coach and I will definitely go back to the drawing board because I think it happened last year at the World Championships and the Jamaica trials. But we will go back to the drawing board and think about how to correct those missteps,” Jackson said. “Getting a 10.78 in early June, I am definitely excited for the season.
“I have not had a World 100m championship title and I think that is one of my goals this year. It is just for me to stay focused. I am confident and I am healthy. Once I stay healthy anything is possible.”