Jackson takes 200m gold and closes in on Flo-Jo record

Eugene, Oregon, July 22 (BUS): Jamaica’s Sherica Jackson became the fastest woman alive over the 200m on Thursday when she claimed a dominant world title in 21.45 seconds, a time surpassed only by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.

Jamaica’s Shelley Ann Fraser-Price, who took her fifth gold in the 100 meters on Sunday, took the silver with a time of 21.81, while Britain’s champion Dina Asher-Smith finished third with a time of 22.02, Reuters reported.

It was a stunning run by Jackson, beating her ahead of Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herrah on the all-time list and finishing in Griffith Joyner’s 21.34 of the Seoul Olympics.

It also gave her a measure of satisfaction after her traumatic experience at the Tokyo Olympics when she slimmed down early in the 200m heats and failed to pass it when she was too excited to win a medal.

“I feel great,” said Jackson. “I came out and did a show. Fastest woman alive, record for championship and championship, I can’t complain.”

The 28-year-old has a handful of small individual medals, including a silver in the 100m in Eugene last weekend, but now has a world gold at the finish.

“I know Shelly is probably one of the best cornering racers in the world, so I had to run the curve as hard as I could,” she added. “I know I’m strong and quick to get home, so I knew that when I finally met her, I could take her.”

Fraser-Price, who won the 200 in 2013, got off to her usual start and led the 35-year-old out of the turn before Jackson took a full stride and sped home with clear daylight among the yellow jackets.

“I was really tired both physically and mentally and still wanted to get out and have a good run,” Fraser-Price said.

“This was always a challenging event for me. I got on the sixth track, and all the girls were behind me, so I had to get off like no one else.”

Aminatou Seni finished fourth for Niger, ahead of American duo Abby Steiner and Tamara Clark, while Thompson-Hara finished seventh.

Jackson said she wasn’t thinking about the times but everyone else in the sport thinking about her, as the current crop of Jamaican superstars shy away from a world record that remains for many uncomfortable.

Griffith Joyner’s brand has long been considered untouchable and exists under a cloud of skepticism about steroids. The American, the 100-meter world record holder, died in 1998 at the age of 38.

Advances in shoe and track technology help bring them closer.

Her semi-final time in Seoul at 21.56 was for a long time the second-fastest ahead of Thompson-Hera, at the Tokyo Olympics, and Jackson in Jamaican Trials last month, ahead of her.

Jackson is now just over a tenth of a second behind 21.34 and with evergreen inspiration Fraser Price will have her in mind strong with another World Championship and Olympics in the next two years.

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