Whenever there is a large track and field season, such as the one currently underway, many elite athletes face harsh scrutiny for every deed they perform. Such was the case for Jamaica’s two sprint queens, Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, who both had slow starts in their season openers.
However, their entire viewpoint has altered since the Jamaican Olympic Trials, when both of them secured tickets to the Paris Olympics in their respective categories.
This shift in community perception caught the attention of Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, who subsequently discussed the two Jamaican athletes on their Tidal League Podcast on Ready Set Go.
Right after starting the discussion, the Bahamian sprinter Rodney Green, congratulates Shelly-Ann, affectionately known as “Mommy Rocket,” on shutting down all of her critics as she prepares for her final track and field season and the Olympic Games. She began the year late, but despite a limited number of races, she qualified for the main event in the 100-meter division.
Justin Gatlin offers similar pointers as Green, and he hopes that the athlete’s esteemed track career ends gracefully. Green goes on to explain her overall plan behind such a performance at the Jamaican Olympic Trials, saying:
“I think that was her plan. Her plan wasn’t to go out there and win, and…she was like, ‘You know, yeah, I’mma try to win, but if I don’t, that’s fine. I just need to buy some time.’ That’s it.”
Gatlin then discusses Shericka, noting that the athlete was considerably ahead of her Jamaican teammate and appeared to be in excellent shape before the Paris Olympics.
He also explains that her start to the season was certainly poor, but the 10.84 in the 100-meter Olympic Trials finals was the performance she required, and that she will improve it even further in the days leading up to the race with her training regimen.
The Bahamian sprinter believes that, while Elaine Thompson-Herah will not be present to defend her accolade, these qualified competitors will approach the contest with the same goal in mind: to bring home the gold medal for their country.
While the Jamaican Olympic Trials astounded the track luminaries, they had a similar assessment of the country’s rivals, who also demonstrated athletic prowess.
Justin Gatlin’s Analysis of Shericka Jackson’s American Rival Sha’Carri Richardson
After all of the Olympic Trials, the track community will have to wait to witness the usual American-Jamaican rivalry in the sport. In the women’s division, Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States is chasing the 100-meter Olympic gold medal, much as Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson is. Richardson did not qualify for the 200-meter event, but she remains motivated and confident in her 100-meter results.
Justin Gatlin was caught off guard by Sha’Carri’s dominance, as she ran a remarkable 10.71 in the finals, despite slowing down in the final few meters of the race. This causes her to conceal additional abilities that she intends to unleash at the Paris Olympics, as she will need to focus on the primary event, much like her competitors.
