Eugene, United States: Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson outgunned compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on the back straight to win 200m gold at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday.
Jackson set a championship record of 21.45 seconds, the second fastest time ever run over the distance, for a first individual world title at Hayward Field, Eugene.
Newly-crowned 100m gold medallist Fraser-Pryce took silver in 21.81sec, with defending champion Dina Asher-Smith of Britain claiming bronze (22.02).
“I am feeling great once I came out and put on the show. The fastest woman alive, the national and championships record, I cannot complain,” said Jackson.
“I know that Shelly is probably one of the best curve runners in the world so I knew she was going to go hard.
“I knew that I want to get gold, I had to run the curve as hard as possible. I know I am strong and fast on coming home so I knew when I eventually catch up with her, I could take it.”
Jackson, who won 100m bronze and 4x100m relay gold at the Tokyo Olympics, said coming from behind had not been part of her race tactics. “I never wanted to catch on anyone, I wanted to execute the best race possible and I think seeing the personal best, I cannot complain.
“It feels very good to be in the prominent company of these elite runners,” said the 28-year-old all-rounder who won 400m bronze at the Rio Olympics as well as silver and bronze in the 4x400m relay at the last two Summer Games.
All eyes had been on Fraser-Pryce, sporting a long mane of dyed purple hair, in her bid for a second sprint double after having achieved the feat at the 2013 Moscow worlds.
Fast out of the blocks in lane six, Fraser-Pryce rocketed past Niger’s Aminatou Seyni in no time, running a great bend to hit the back stretch neck-and-neck with Jackson, in four. As the two Jamaicans went head-to-head, Jackson put on the afterburners and pulled away in impressive style, not giving up until she thundered through the line.
Fraser-Pryce swept through on her coattails, with Asher-Smith holding off Seyni for bronze. “Listen, I am tired,” said the 35-year-old mother-of-one Fraser-Pryce. I was really, really tired physically and mentally and still I wanted to come out and have a good run.”
Garrett Scantling out
Meanwhile, United States decathlon medal hopeful Garrett Scantling was ruled out of the Worlds after accepting a provisional suspension for an anti-doping rule violation, the United States Anti-Doping Agency said.
Scantling, who finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics last year, was suspended due to his “conduct during an investigation into his third potential whereabouts failure,” USADA said in a statement.
No further information about the circumstances of his anti-doping rules breach was provided. Under anti-doping rules, athletes must provide authorities with their whereabouts each day during certain windows in order to be available for out of competition drug tests. An athlete missing three testing appointments during a 12-month window can be suspended for up to two years.
USADA said Scantling had accepted his suspension and agreed to have information about his case published.
