- Shericka Jackson withdrew from the women’s 200m on Sunday morning
- Jackson has won the 200m at the last two World Championships.
- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also withdrew from the 100m on Saturday night.
World champion Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson withdrew from the women’s 200 metres just minutes before her heat on Sunday morning.
Jackson had retired from the 100 meters earlier this week in a bid to focus on the 200 meters, the event he has won at each of the last two world championships.
But she failed to make it to the start line on Sunday, and it now remains to be seen whether she will compete in the 4x100m relay in the coming days.
The reason for Jackson’s withdrawal remains unclear, but it represents another major blow for Jamaica after legendary sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the 100m semi-finals on Saturday night.
Fraser-Pryce, the 2008 and 2012 Olympic 100m champion, has had an injury-plagued season but comfortably cruised through her heat on Friday morning.
Shericka Jackson (pictured) withdrew from the women’s 200m on Sunday morning.
Jackson is a two-time world champion and the second-fastest woman in history over the distance.
Her withdrawal comes after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the 100m on Saturday.
However, moments before the semi-finals began it was confirmed that he would not be competing.
Jackson and Fraser-Pryce were expected to lead Jamaica’s relay team but are now considered doubtful for the event.
Jackson’s absence is a major setback for the 30-year-old, who is the second-fastest female 200-meter runner of all time behind American Florence Griffith Joyner.
She was also part of the relay team that won gold in the 4x100m in Tokyo three years ago.
The 200m heats were held without Jackson on Sunday morning, with the Team GB trio of Daryll Neita, Dina Asher-Smith and Bianca Williams advancing to the semi-finals.
100m finalist Daryll Neita (pictured) led a trio of Britons into the 200m semi-finals
Neita finished fourth in Saturday’s 100m final and comfortably won her heat. Asher-Smith failed to make the final but put that disappointment behind her and put in a solid race, while Williams also finished well and booked a place in the semi-finals.
100m champion Julien Alfred continued her exceptional form and won her heat in a gallop, St Lucia’s first Olympic medallist.