Jamaica's Shericka Jackson withdrawing from 100 meter at Paris Olympics
PARIS — Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson won’t be vying for a sprint double at the Paris Olympics.
Jackson is withdrawing from the 100-meter dash, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the sensitivity of the matter.
Television Jamaica/Radio Jamaica News Centre was the first to report the news.
The sprinter would only confirm that she's running in just one individual race after news broke on Wednesday.
Jackson pulled up with an apparent injury while running the 200 earlier this month at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix.
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According to the Jamaican outlet, Jamaica’s Shashalee Forbes will replace Jackson in the women’s 100.
Jackson still plans to run in the 200, which is her strongest event.
Jackson’s scratch from the 100 is a massive blow to Jamaica’s gold-medal chances. Jackson’s personal-best of 10.65 is tied for the fifth fastest ever in the event. Jamaica has won gold in the women’s 100 at the past four Olympics (Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ’08, ’12 and Elaine Thompson-Herah ’16, ‘20)
Fraser-Pryce, a three-time Olympian at 37, is entered in the 100, but many considered Jackson to be Jamaica’s best chance at a gold medal in the marquee sprint event.
The absence of Jackson means Team USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson is the clear gold-medal favorite in the 100. Richardson’s 10.71 is the top time in the world this year.
Richardson is the defending world champion in the event and is going after her first ever Olympic gold medal following her suspension during the Tokyo Games due to testing positive for THC.
The preliminary rounds of the women’s 100 begin Friday. The final is set for Saturday.
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