“As far as I know, she appears to be okay to me,” said Stephen Francis on Tuesday. “She is one hundred percent fit.” Despite his confidence, concerns about Shericka Jackson’s fitness have swelled since she suffered an injury during the 200m at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix. Shericka Jackson’s coach made a huge mistake before her 100m showdown with Sha’Carri Richardson at the Paris Olympics. Despite earlier concerns about her fitness, coach Stephen Francis insists Jackson is fully fit and ready to compete.

Jackson, the reigning world 200m champion and the fastest Jamaican woman this year, is still a top contender for medals in 200m at the Paris Olympics. But recently, journalist Kayon Raynor announced that Shericka Jackson will not contest the 100m sprint at the Paris Olympics. He captioned the post, “#News 2-time 200 metres world champion @shericka Jackson will not be contesting the sprint double at the Olympic Games in Paris. Jamaica’s athletics manager, Ludlow Watts, confirmed that Jackson withrew from the 100. Shashalee Forbes is entered as her replacement.” This shocking news follows Jackson’s injury concerns.

As the reigning 200m world champion and a top contender for the sprint double, her withdrawal is a major setback for Jamaica’s sprinting hopes. Her absence shifts the Olympic sprinting landscape and doubts her readiness for the 200m. Reports from Paris suggest that Jamaican sprinter Sashalee Forbes will compete in the 100m dash at the 2024 Paris Olympics, starting Friday. Speculation is rife that Forbes will replace Shericka Jackson. Forbes, 28, finished fourth in the 100m final at the Jamaica National Championships in late June. She clocked 11.04 seconds, finishing behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tia Clayton, and winner Shericka Williams, the athlete she is rumored to replace.

FloTrack shared a clip on X confirming that Shericka Jackson has withdrawn from the 100m at the Paris Olympics. Jackson hasn’t revealed the reasons behind her withdrawal but will compete in the 200m individual event. She said, “This year is more like, okay, then it’s my third Olympic. I get used to being at the Olympic now. So it’s just to focus now.” The Jamaican team’s future remains uncertain. Fans wonder if they can continue their storied rivalry with the US, a highlight of global events, especially after the famous clashes between Noah Lyles and Usain Bolt. 

CITIUS MAG also posted an interview with Jackson, in which she addressed several questions. Regarding the possibility of a world record in the 200 meters, Jackson said, “With all honesty, I don’t think there’s a world record coming.” She also discussed her performance at the meet in Székesfehérvár, explaining, “I’m OK. I had a slight cramp in Hungary and right now I’m OK.” When asked about her decision to focus solely on the 200m and withdraw from the 100m for the Paris Olympics, Jackson noted, “The decision is just to protect my body. As I’ve said for the last three years, I’ve been competing in both events. It’s a combination of both just focusing on one event and what happened in Hungary.”

With Shericka Jackson out, the competition could intensify, as Jamaican athletes will strive even harder to prove their dominance. The 100m dash at the Paris Olympics will be a key battleground for this ongoing rivalry. The runner from Jamaica, Elaine Thompson-Herah, who won gold five times at the Olympics, cannot try to keep her 100 and 200-meter titles at the Paris 2024 Games. She had to pull out of the Jamaica track and field tests starting on Thursday (June 27) as she got hurt. One of the best sprinters injured her Achilles tendon during her last race at the New York Big Meet in early June, where she finished in 11.48 seconds.

Though a 3X Olympic champion and 8X medalist, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is running, but because of her age, it is hard to count on her. So, all these will significantly impact the Jamaican Sprinters at the Paris Olympics. Newcomers will vie for victory, while top runners aim to shine. Jackson’s absence is just one chapter in the long-standing rivalry that captivates fans. The evolving dynamics will make for an intriguing showdown in Paris.

Will Sha’Carri Richardson’s dominance in 100m prove fearful for Gabby Thomas?

There is another American runner making a big return this year, Gabby Thomas. Gabby Thomas edged out Sha’Carri Richardson with the world’s best time in 2023 to win the women’s 200 meters at the U.S. track and field championships on Sunday night. Thomas caught Richardson around the curve and surged to the finish in 21.60 seconds. This time beat Shericka Jackson’s mark of 21.71, set at the Jamaica trials in Kingston. Thomas, 26, struggled last season with a hamstring injury. She skipped the 100 meters earlier this weekend to save energy for the 200, where she made a strong comeback.

She did not run in the 100-meter race earlier in the weekend to save her energy for the 200-meter race. On the other hand, Sha’Carri’s dominance is evident as she won the 100m National title two years ago. Plus, in the 2023 World Champion, the performance between Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri was neck-to-neck as they finished off at 21.81 seconds and 21.92 seconds consecutively. But Gabby came second, and since then, she decided to return with her best form, stating, “They can’t let us have anything, anything!’ So alright, I’m going to have to bring my A-game. If it’s not at this Trials meet, (then) Budapest [the host-city of 2023 World Championships].” True to her word, Thomas ensured she met her promise, improving her timing and demonstrating her commitment to excellence.