- Palestinian seeds join Arctic 'doomsday vault'
- Ariana Grande concert attack survivors win UK harassment case
- Blinken on new quest for Saudi ties with Israel
- UK and Germany sign 'milestone' defence deal
- Seoul says N.Korea sent more troops to Russia, Kyiv urges their surrender
- Mehidy, Jaker keep Bangladesh alive against South Africa
- Stock markets mixed, oil prices drop
- Stokes forecasts spin battle in Pakistan-England decider
- Volvo Cars cuts sales forecast on market headwinds
- South Africa 'shattered' by divorce of rugby star Kolisi
- Putin touts 'multipolar world order' at flagship BRICS summit
- Deutsche Bank profits boosted by legal settlements
- WHO says 'intense bombardment' halts Gaza polio vaccinations
- UK's Starmer plays down Trump team claims of interference
- Son of Singapore's founder granted asylum in UK
- Mehidy, Jaker take Bangladesh into lead over South Africa in Test
- Stocks mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed, US vote in focus
- Seven dead, thousands evacuated as tropical storm batters Philippines
- Pant fit for second Test as Gill gives India selection 'headache'
- S. Korean Olympic shooter Kim keeps cool over newfound fame
- UN chief in Russia for Putin's BRICS summit
- Markets mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed, US vote in focus
- US says 'now is the time' to end Gaza war
- Harris to face voters' queries in crucial Pennsylvania
- Mehidy fifty steers Bangladesh towards parity at 201-6
- King Charles arrives in Samoa, where Commonwealth looks to shed stodgy image
- Ohtani 50-50 baseball sells for record-breaking $4.39 million
- Morikawa says 'winning is tough' ahead of Japan title defence
- New Zealand's Bowes smashes record-breaking 103-ball double ton
- Troubled Boeing faces investors and awaits strike vote
- Indian capital chokes as 'hazardous' air pollution returns
- Thousands flee homes as fierce tropical storm batters Philippines
- Tokyo Metro shares rocket on debut
- Israel says killed Nasrallah's apparent successor in Beirut strike
- Climate change worsened deadly Africa floods, scientists say
- Los Angeles Dodgers baseball icon Fernando Valenzuela dead at 63
- Indian capital's 'hazardous' air pollution season starts
- King Charles visits Samoa, where Commonwealth looks to shed stodgy image
- Cattle disease wreaks havoc in Libya
- Fernando Valenzuela: Iconic pitcher sparked 'Fernandomania'
- Warner offers to come out of retirement for India Test series
- Deyverson double gives Atletico Mineiro upper hand over River Plate
- Taipei says Chinese aircraft carrier group sailed through Taiwan Strait
- LeBron, Bronny James make NBA history with father-son appearance
- Deyverson double gives Atletico upper hand over River Plate
- Tokyo Metro: Asia's oldest subway goes public
- Shiffrin eyes 100 World Cup wins as legend Hirscher returns
- Asian markets mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed; US vote in focus
- From Colombia's jungle to the world's fish tanks
- Celtics dominate Knicks to launch NBA title defense
Jackson more focused on individual Olympic gold than Flo-Jo's record
Jamaican track star Shericka Jackson said Wednesday that an individual Olympic gold at this summer's Paris Games weighed more on her mind than bettering the long-standing women's 200m world record.
Jackson, 29, has accrued a hatful of global medals and is the first athlete in world championship history to win medals in the 100, 200 and 400 metres, including the 4x100 and 4x400 metres relays.
She is also a five-time Olympic medallist, the sole gold coming as part of Jamaica's 4x100m relay winning team at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
Having initially been a 400m specialist, she moved down to the sprints and claimed 100m bronze in the Japanese capital before nabbing two world titles over 200m in 2022 and 2023 in Eugene and Budapest respectively.
"Yeah definitely, I have not had an individual gold medal in the Olympic Games," Jackson said of her motivation for victory outside of the traditionally strong Jamaican women's relay teams.
In an interview with AFP ahead of the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday, she added: "In 2021 (in Tokyo) I wanted one and I did not even make it to the 200, so definitely it's something that I'm looking forward to, something I'm working towards.
"I definitely hope I will achieve it by the end of the coming Olympics."
Turning to the world record of 21.34 seconds in the 200m, set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988, Jackson was less forthcoming.
"I don't let what the media wants eat me up mentally because I think a lot of persons might get carried away by just being focused on 'Oh I want to break the world record, I want to do this or that'.
"You probably have it in mind but you're not going to put it at the forefront, like okay then I'm going to break the world record today and whatever, because what if you're not mentally strong and then you don't break the world record, then it will play on your mind."
- Shelly-Ann the role model -
Jackson, the second fastest woman of all time over 200m and fifth fastest in the 100m, said it was all about timing and execution.
"For me personally it's just once I execute a good race then I definitely will run a fast time."
Jackson made a late opening to her season at the Diamond League meet in Marrakesh, where she, in her own words, fairly laboured to victory in 22.82 seconds.
Things have changed since then, she admitted, with her and coach Stephen Francis working on ways so she lose some weight.
"After Marrakesh we reconsidered a lot of stuff, especially my body weight, and I think we did pretty good over the past two weeks with dropping down a little bit," she told AFP.
"We're not where we want to be in terms of body weight, but we're right there and we have two months to go, so we're working on a few things which have been working.
"Once coach get me in the right shape, which I definitely know he will at the right time, then anything is possible."
Jackson said her most poignant Olympic memory involved one of her senior teammates, the multi-medal winning Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a five-time 100m world champion.
"The only person I watched growing up is probably some of the quarter milers and Shelly-Ann," she said, with Fraser-Pryce winning her first Olympic 100m gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Jackson said now racing alongside Fraser-Pryce was "good because you definitely know she's going to show up so you have to ensure that your spikes are very tight and you're on your piece".
"It's always good to compete with persons that are hard working and when they go at the line you definitely know you'll have to bring my 'A game', I can't make any mistakes because all of us are right there and all of us want to win and compete at our best.
"I just love competing with her."
T.Ward--AMWN