Jamaican Olympic athlete Shericka Jackson, who was set to compete in the 200m at the Suzhou Diamond League in China next weekend, has withdrawn from the event.
This is not the first time for the two-time world champion to back out. In January, she withdrew from the JAA Puma Fuller Anderson Development Meet in Angels. Jackson also pulled out from the Miramar Invitational on April 6.
Diamond League Shanghai/Suzhous confirmed the sprinter's withdrawal on X. It said:
"Note: Shericka Jackson has withdrawn from the event."
Fans expressed concern about the athlete's well-being, and some just wanted to know the reason behind her sudden withdrawal. One such fan asked:
"Any reason for alarm...?"
Another fan said:
"This is getting scary, I hope she's okay."
And yet another fan expressed worry:
Here are some more fan reactions to Jackson withdrawing from the Suzhou Diamond League:
"That is a huge shame," one fan tweeted.
"Seriously what's going on with jako is she hurt?" another fan commented.
"Something not right," said a fan.
"She injured?" a fan asked.
"Olympic year bookie trying to save them legs," a fan wrote.
"If she blows everybody out of the water without having to compete in any meets thats highly suspect to me," a fan said.
Shericka Jackson preparing to shatter the world record
Jackson, 29, is preparing for the upcoming Paris Olympics. In an interview with Citius Mag in March 2024, the Jamaican sprinter said she was aiming for an Olympic gold medal.
Jackson said:
"I've yet to achieve an Olympic gold medal so definitely know that's one of the goals I want to definitely achieve."
The fastest woman in the 200m category, Jackson shared that she wants to break the world record and revealed that she even had a conversation with her coach.
"He enlightened me about it and whether I speak about it or not and I don't achieve it, it's not the end of the world. I think it's something that we really look forward to," Shericka Jackson said.
Jackson added that there was no pressure if she didn't break the world record. She said she was very happy to have run 21.4 and be able to run two 21.4s in one season. The sprinting sensation added that though the world record is on her mind, she will not brood about it in every race.