It was during the Diamond League held at Erget Stadium, Xiamen on April 26, when an athlete running in lane 7 shocked everyone with her performance. The athlete was none other than American sprinter Anavia Battle, who defeated two-time world champion Shericka Jackson by not a very small margin. The margin then? Well, it was 0.38. Anavia Battle finished the 200 m event in 22.41, whereas Jackson finished second with a time of 22.79.

The American track athlete has shown her resilience, grit, and dominance on the international stage. And with that, let’s dive into the details about Anavia Battle and her achievements.

Meet Anavia Battle: The rising sprinter

U.S. Olympian Anavia Battle was born on March 28, 1999, in Inkster, Michigan. The Olympian did her schooling at Wayne Memorial and later attended Ohio State for her graduation in Human Development and Family Sciences. The 26-year-old track star started her running journey back in seventh grade and was even named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2017.

Anavia’s thrill on the track lies in coming around the curve in the 200-meter dash. And off the track? Well, she loves to kick back with a movie or two. However, it is her on-track performances over the years that truly stand out.

Anavia Battle’s career highlights and achievements

The American sprinter is showing her worth on the track. In fact, competing against athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson and Shericka Jackson and also defeating them shows her talent. Additionally, Battle has her personal best in many events: 100 m with 11.17, 200m with 21.95, and 60m indoors with 7.24.

So far, Anavia has represented her university or country at every level, be it the Olympics or NCAA Outdoor Championships. This Michigan native participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and was placed 16th in the overall event. Other career achievements include the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, where she was placed third in the event. Then, in 2021, she grabbed another bronze at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 200m, representing Ohio State University. Back in 2018, she finished fifth in the 200m and eighth in the 100m at the USATF U20 Championships.

As per the Ohio State official website, she has a total of 21 title wins between the 100m and 200m dashes during her senior year. Battle’s win includes an undefeated 11-0 record in the 100m dash. And if we rewind a few years back, she was a gold medalist at the Midwest Meet of Champions in 2017 with a time of 11.93 in the 100 m dash.

Anavia Battle sets a new meet record, defeating Shericka Jackson to win 200 m of the 2025 Diamond League

After defeating Shericka Jackson, per the Diamond League portal, Anavia Battle said, “This is my opener. I was so nervous because I had not run a 200 yet, but I am happy I did it here. Really good competition. It had a really good feel. It was great. That 15-hour flight hurt, but I had to suck it up and get out here and compete.” She further added, “Me and my coach have been working on the first half of the race for my 100 m so I feel like that has helped a lot. We are going to Shanghai next. Get some rest before Shanghai. Then back home.”

Though Shericka Jackson started well, her opponent, Anavia Battle, faded in her race, and with 80m remaining, Anavia Battle kicked as the pack reached the finishing straight and started to break away. The Jamaican kept her second place through to the finish line ahead of another American competitor, Jenna Prandini, although she realized she would not be able to match Battle, who set a meeting record of 22.41 seconds.

Indeed, it was a great achievement for Battle to defeat the two-time world champion. And this is not the first time, she has already caused a stir at the Shanghai Diamond League meet in 2024. Battle was placed second in the 200-meter event, surpassing sprinting star Sha’Carri Richardson.

With winning races, Anavia Battle is moving towards a bright future. What do you think about the story of American sprinter Anavia Battle? Do tell us in the comments below.