'It's in reach for Shericka'- When Gabby Thomas backed Jamaican

Gabby Thomas believes Shericka Jackson has a better shot at shattering the 200m world record.

Gabby Thomas and Shericka Jackson are two of the most formidable 200m runners and when they step on the track, everyone always wants to showcase their skills.

However, at the start of the 2024 season, Gabby Thomas expressed doubts about attacking the 200m world record, banking on Shericka Jackson to do it. The 200m world record currently stands at 21.34 seconds and was set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics by Florence Griffith Joyner.

In an interview with the Guardian, Gabby Thomas was uncertain about going for the record as she explained that she has yet to get to a point where she is unbeatable. The triple Olympic champion analysed the record, noting that it was extremely exceptional and that’s where she wants to get to as far as running the 200m is concerned.

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She pointed out that reigning world 200m champion Shericka Jackson has a better chance of going for it following the crazy times the Jamaican ran last season.

“If I can get that part even stronger, I will be really, really hard to beat. When you look at Flo-Jo’s 200m world record her second 100m is insane, astronomical in fact. So that’s what you really want to do: your first 100m is setting you up to have an unreal second one,” Gabby Thomas said.

“I think it’s in reach for Shericka. I think it’s in reach for me at the Olympics if the conditions are right. The super-fast tracks are now incredible, and my sponsors New Balance have put a lot of development into our spikes. You really feel like you’re getting a lot back from the track.”

Unfortunately, Shericka Jackson did not have her dream 2024 season as she had to compete sparingly and was also forced to withdraw from the Paris Olympic Games. The world 100m silver medallist opened her season late, racing at the JAAA All Comers Series #1 before heading to a series of Diamond League Meetings.

She won the 200m at the meeting in Rabat before finishing fifth at the Diamond League Meeting in Oslo. She bounced back to winning ways in Stockholm before reigning supreme in the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

Shericka Jackson then pulled up an injury at the Gyulai István Memorial, a Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix and was forced to end her season there as she withdrew from the Olympic Games.

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On her part, Gabby Thomas had an amazing season, notching up a series of victories before dominating the Paris Olympic Games. She won the 200m Olympic gold medal before running the third leg in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams that also won gold medals.