2022 ODYSSEY TO OREGON
THE SHERICKA SENSATION What, then, about Shericka Jackson? My prediction is that Shericka will take third place in the 100 metres at Oregon, and that she will win the 200 metres. Elaine Thompson‐Herah will come in just behind her in the latter race. This prediction stands on three general observations. First,
potential as an athlete. For example, when she took the Jamaican title for the 200 metres in 21.55 seconds, she seemed genuinely surprised, at least to some inexpert eyes. To take the double at Oregon, she will need steely self‐confidence and the belief that she is better, by a good margin, than two longstanding world champions. This will not be an easy task. That said, her combination of 100‐metre speed and 400‐metre endurance should ensure victory in the 200 metres. PREDICTIONS My analysis, therefore, suggests these results: 100 Metres For Women 1. Shelly‐Ann Fraser‐Pryce 2. Elaine Thompson‐Herah 3. Shericka Jackson 200 Metres For Women 1. Shericka Jackson 2. Elaine Thompson‐Herah 3. Shelly‐Ann Fraser‐Pryce (if she runs) These predictions presume that Jamaica will take the top three places in both events. But again, the law of averages should counsel caution. Almost anything can happen in the finals of these explosive races, and where the results in each race may turn on one‐hundredth of a second, victory is never guaranteed. Even star athletes may jump the starter’s gun, they may not hear the pistol, they may slip at the start, or they may just have a sluggish day. On another level, they may miss the correct bus to the athletics stadium, or they may be victims of skillful strategic moves by competitors with great hunger for victory. It is also true that all athletes must guard
against peaking at the wrong time. With these and other considerations in mind, we await the explosion of the short sprints with great expectations and hope. In addition to our nationals, we anticipate impressive performances from various representatives of the USA, and familiar stalwarts such as Ta Lou, Asher‐Smith, Kambundji and Ahye. I would also anticipate that if some female athletes make it to Oregon, there will be further debate about equality of treatment among athletes in the sprints. WHEN DUST SETTLES Finally, when the dust settles on Oregon, we should once again turn attention to certain issues of long‐term importance to Jamaican athletic fortunes. These issues include: • Whether we may structure the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Championships to produce even more, and stronger, Jamaican and Caribbean athletes. Are we overworking our young stars at some schools? • Whether our universities can, and should, do more to promote the athletic and intellectual promise of our track and field juniors. Should the JAAA have advisory clinics on options that may be pursued by students in Jamaica and elsewhere? • Whether our relevant authorities have in place appropriate administrative arrangements to promote the welfare of our past and future athletes. Given Jamaica’s superiority in the world of athletics, we should work towards ensuring that administrative and governance arrangements are, and remain, at the highest levels of professionalism.
Sometimes, Jackson seems unaware of how fast she really is.
although Shericka confirmed her 100‐metre credentials at the National Trials, she is not yet consistently a world‐beater in this event. Having switched down from the 400 metres, she seems, generally, to be about one stride behind Mommy Rocket at the 100‐ metre tape. True, Shericka beat Elaine in the 100 metres at our trials, but this, as I say, may have been due to problems pertaining to the start of the race. Secondly, the law of averages will work against a Shericka Jackson double. Not only will she have to defy the mathematical odds to take both titles, she will also have to do so confronting two compatriots who are themselves zealously and determinedly vying for the title of greatest female sprinter in history. And thirdly, psychological considerations ought not to be ignored. Shericka has occasionally seemed unaware of her true
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