Olympic Star Shericka Jackson Opens Up About Her Childhood and Its Impact on Her Career

For Shericka Jackson, her fiery form in the track and field realm has paid her well in 2023. From the 2023 World Athletics Championships to the 2023 Zurich Diamond League, the Jamaican sprinter outperformed almost everyone in the sprinting arena. Now she finds herself in the title run for Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year 2023. However, for the Jamaican, things were not always a cakewalk, as she had seen the days of an uphill battle in her childhood.

On 4th December, Shericka Jackson pulled off the curtains from various nooks and crannies of her childhood in an interview with Sim Soul Sessions. The mentioned interview shed light on Shericka Jackson’s initial years and its effects on her career. 

Shericka Jackson’s unsteady childhood 

Being a world champion sprinter, Shericka Jackson claimed that she never felt nervous in her vocation of track and field. But in the same way, explaining her childhood situation in the Sim Soul Sessions, the 29-year-old sprinter admitted that she was going through that untasted patch. However, it didn’t take long for her to narrate the reason. “I’m a person who I’ve always had this wall up, so I’m kind of nervous”, she said. Later, that ‘wall’ was explained in the caption of the interview post on IG as, “her lifelong emotional barrier”

Shericka Jackson didn’t feel introverted, narrating her problematic childhood when she had to move frequently due to family issues. She stated in grief, ” I didn’t have the childhood where I’d be having fun and I was all over the place. So I don’t think I get to enjoy the childhood that I would have hoped to enjoy.” But instead of throwing away the gloomy effects of that childhood experience, Shericka tried to embrace those differently. That impacted the sprinting sovereign in a unique way. 

Impact of childhood 

Shericka Jackson has preferred to be known as aggressive on or off the court. The two-time 200m world champion credited her wronged childhood for that. While explaining this part in the interview, Shericka claimed, “I felt like I was older than a child moving around, being here for a little while, there for a little while. So I believe that’s one of the reasons I’m very aggressive even today.” 

Read more: Shericka Jackson Unwinds at “The Ultimate Spot” in Jamaica, After Making Finalist Spot for World Athletics Award

However, the 5-time Olympic medalist didn’t forget to mention the recent developments in her character.” now I’m in a better space where I’m not so aggressive I can be. But I think I’m a better grown-up now”, Shericka Jackson conceded. 

Though she had rather a rough childhood, Jackson didn’t let it hinder her path and, with her unwavering determination, she made it to the pinnacle of her career. Interestingly, with so many achievements already framed on her wall of fame, the double 200m world champion was recently conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Technology (UTech) in Jamaica. And now, she is on the shortlist for the 2023 Women’s World Athlete of the Year award, looking forward to add one more accolade to her already impressive resume.

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