Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson confirmed she has dropped out of the 100 meters at the Paris Olympics, increasing Sha’Carri Richardson’s chances to win gold, The Athletic reported Wednesday.
Jackson raced to bronze in the event at the Tokyo Olympics and won gold in the 4×100 relay, while American track star Richardson was left home after testing positive for marijuana use.
Richardson beat Jackson in the world championship last year in a career-best time of 10.65 seconds. Jackson clocked 10.72.
Sha’Carri Richardson celebrated her 2023 100-meter world title over Jamaican sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, left, and Shericka Jackson, right.
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC via Getty Images
Jackson’s 100-meter best is also 10.65, but she’s focusing on the longer sprint in Paris.
“Yes I’m only running the 200-meter here,” the Jamaican track star said Wednesday. “Just period.”
Reuters, which reported the development earlier, noted that Jackson had suffered a calf cramp in a July 9 race, but it’s unclear whether that influenced her decision.
Two-time defending Olympic 100-meter champ Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica didn’t make it to Paris, having injured her Achilles tendon. She dropped out of the Jamaican trials.
But Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a two-time 100 Olympic gold medalist who’s 37, did make the Jamaican team.
