Shericka vs Sha’Carri - Spotlight on Jamaica-US rivalry in women’s 200 at Allianz Memorial Diamond League

JAMAICA'S Shericka Jackson will attract a lot of attention in the women's 200 metres, with heavy focus on her clash with the United States' Sha'Carri Richardson at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme Wanda Diamond League track and field athletics meeting in Brussels, Belgium, tomorrow.

One of several Jamaicans competing at the European meet, Jackson, the Olympic Games' women's 100 metres bronze medallist, lines up in a pretty decent 200 metres field, which also includes the Namibian pair of Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma, and Great Britain Dina Asher Smith.

Besides the attention brought on by the eccentric Richardson, Jackson, who also won a gold medal in the women's 4x100 metres relay and bronze in the 4x400 metres relay in Tokyo, will be seeking some form of redemption in the half-lap event after failing to make the finals at the Olympics, after she misjudged her finish and slowed much too early in the semi-finals to be nipped at the finish, eventually failing to reach the finals.

Inclusive of the Olympic Games, Jackson and her Jamaican counterparts, gold medallist Elaine Thompson Herah and silver medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, have monopolised top-three 100 metres placings at every major meet. Thompson Herah was originally slated to compete here but pulled out.

Go all the way

Jackson, with a season's best of 21.82 seconds over 200 metres, will be hoping to go all the way in this extended distance and maintain Jamaica's current stranglehold which they carry on the winning position in women's sprinting.

Mboma, who finished second in Tokyo behind Thompson Herah in 21.81 seconds, and who went on to win the gold in Nairobi at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, could actually be Jackson's biggest threat while her teammate, Masilingi, who was a finalist in Tokyo and second in Nairobi with a best of 22.18 seconds, cannot be counted out.

American Richardson had been blowing up the track with some fast times ahead of the Olympics. However, tests revealed levels of cannabinoids beyond World Anti-Doping Agency limits, which earned her a 30-day suspension that kept her out of the Olympics.

Thus, the big matchup with her and the Jamaican trio never materialised and a post-Olympic Diamond League clash at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, brought great anticipation.

That fizzed swiftly, as Richardson disappointed and finished at the back of the field in the 100 metres.

Now, it will be interesting to see how Richardson performs in the 200 metres, where she has a season best of 22.11 seconds.

Asher Smith, who did not contest the event in Tokyo and who has been recovering from an injury, also has a good chance of winning and will no doubt be looking to improve on her season best 22.06 seconds.

Regardless of form, it is the Jamaica-United States rivalry which has created a buzz, throwing the bulk of the attention on Jackson and Richardson.

Tomorrow schedule for Jamaicans

1:03 p.m: Men's 400m - Christopher Taylor

1:56 p.m: Women's 100m hurdles - Danielle Williams, Megan Tapper

2:04 p.m: Women's 200m - Shericka Jackson

2:38 p.m : Men's 400m hurdles - Jaheel Hyde

2:51 p.m: Women's 800m - Natoya Goule