Jackson tops Jamaican 200 heats in Olympic sprint double bid

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Two-time reigning world 200m champion Shericka Jackson delivered the fastest time in Saturday´s qualifying heats in the event at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

A day after winning the 100m crown to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Jackson had the best heat time in season-best 22.67secs (-0.9 m/sec wind) at the national stadium in Kingston. Jackson is a major favorite to win the 200 final on Sunday.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who also qualified in the 100m, did not compete in the 200m heats and reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is injured and will not defend her crown in France.

World championships finalist Andrew Hudson, seeking a third straight men´s 200 crown, ran 20.59secs but will face stiffer competition from Bryan Levell, fourth in the men´s 100m but the fastest 200m qualifier in 20.53.

Reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment and former Olympic champion Omar McLeod will battle in the 110m hurdles final in the last day of the meet. Parchment won his semi-final in 13.42secs (-0.1m/sec) while McLeod, who last competed internationally in 2019, was second in his heat in 13.34 (-0.9m/s), losing to Rasheed Broadbell, the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion who ran 13.32. In the women´s 100 hurdles, two-time world champion Danielle Williams and Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper are among the finalists.

Ackera Nugent, a finalist at last year´s worlds, led qualifiers with a season-best 12.46 (-1.1m/sec) followed by Williams, who is still to compete at the Olympics, in 12.57 (-1.1m/sec) with Tapper third on 12.71 (-0.6m/sec). In the long jump, 2019 world champion and 2023 world bronze medallist Tajay Gayle only took fourth place in the final, clearing 8.18m, and will miss out on Paris.