Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, 2022 world champions in athletics were conferred with national honours at Jamaica’s annual National Honours and Awards held on the lawns of Kings House in Kingston, Jamaica on Monday, October 17, which is celebrated as National Heroes Day.

The 35-year-old Fraser-Pryce was conferred with the Order of Jamaica, Commander Class for Outstanding Performance in the field of athletics at the international level. The woman known internationally as the Pocket Rocket for her incredible speed that has been on display for more than a decade, won her fifth World 100m title in Eugene, Oregon in July becoming the first running athlete to accomplish the feat.

It was also her second world 100m title since she gave birth to her son Zyon in 2017. During the just-concluded season, Fraser-Pryce another global benchmark when she became the first woman in the history of the sport, to run faster than 10.7 seconds seven times during the any one season.

She has now run under 10.7s nine times which is more than any other woman has ever run.

She is also the holder of three Olympic gold medals and 10 World Championship gold medals in her illustrious career.

Jackson, 28, was conferred with the Order of Distinction, Commander Class for exceptional achievements in the sport of Track and Field Athletics at the national, World Championships and Olympic levels.

 The former Vere Technical star won her first global title in Eugene, Oregon in July when she ran 21.45 to claim the 200m gold medal. The time makes her the second fastest woman in history and is a national record breaking the previous mark of 21.53 set by Elaine Thompson-Herah at the Tokyo Olympics.

Jackson has also won bronze medals in the 400m at the World Championships and Olympics and is the highest-ranked active combination sprinter in history with personal bests of 10.71 in the 100m, 21.45 in the 400m and 49.49 in the 400m.

Only two women in history have been better.

Also, receiving national honours were Dr Warren Blake, former president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), who was conferred with the Order of Distinction, (CD), for contribution to Medicine and as a team doctor in national sports; Claude Bryan, a sports agent, the Order of Distinction for contribution to the sport of Track and Field and Michael Clarke, a veteran coach, who was conferred with the Order of Distinction for contribution to sports in the area of Track and Field.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Shaunae Miller-Uibo have been named among the 10 women nominated for 2022 World Athletics’ Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Natoya Goule won the 800m but Shericka Jackson finished a shocking fifth while Kirani James suffered a mild upset in their respective events at the Galà dei Castelli meeting in Bellinzona, Switzerland on Monday.

Goule ran a solid 1:59.05 for an easy win in the 800m. Taking control of the race with just over 400m to go, the Jamaican sped away from the field leaving Anita Horvat in her wake.

The Slovenian clocked 2:00.76 for second place with Anna Wielgotz of Poland finishing third in 2:01.24.

In what must have been the surprise of the meet, Jackson, whose 10.71 makes her the second fastest woman in the world this year, was fifth in the 100m in 11.19.

Marie Josee Ta Lou, meanwhile, won impressively in 10.86 ahead of Great Britain’s Daryll Neita (11.00) and Egypt’s Hassant Hemida (11.07), who were second and third, respectively.

Murielle Ahoure-Demps was fourth in 11.18.

Ackeem Blake ran 10.09 for fourth place in a closely contested 100m dash that was won by American Brandon Carnes in 10.04.

Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya was second in 10.05, the same time given to the USA’s Kendal Williams who was third.

Andrennette Knight ran 52.23 to finish third in the 400m that was won by Lada Vondrova of the Czech Republic in 51.60. Laviai Nelson of the United Kingdom was second in 51.72.

Even though world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk was down for the 400m, James on the basis of his consistent performances this season must have been favoured to win the one-lap sprint.

But no one told the South African who edged the Grenadian to win in a meet record 44.33 to James 44.38. Zakhiti Nene of Africa ran 45.75 for third.

Earlier, Damion Thomas ran 13.38 for second place in the 110m hurdles race which American Jamal Britt claimed victory in 13.18.

Brazil’s Rafael Pereira was a close third in 13.41.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn rebounded from the disappointment of finishing fourth at the Diamond League final in Zurich last week Thursday with a comfortable victory in the 100m hurdles.

The Puerto Rican clocked 12.72 beating American Nia Ali, who ran 12.80 for second place.

Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska finished third in 12.95.

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson continued her stellar 2022 season by winning the 200m at Thursday’s Diamond League final in Zurich.

Jackson, who earlier ran 10.81 for second behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m, sped to 21.80 to take the 200m crown ahead of American Olympic bronze medallist Gabby Thomas (22.38), and her countrywoman Tamara Clark (22.42).

Jackson ran 22.07 to finish second to Thomas (21.98) in her first 200m race of the season at the Doha Diamond League event on May 13 and has gone undefeated in nine races since, including a 21.45 effort to win gold at the World Championships in Eugene, becoming the fastest woman alive in the process.

In the men’s equivalent, The Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando ran 20.02 for third, the same time as second placed finisher Aaron Brown of Canada. American World Champion Noah Lyles was victorious in a meet record 19.51.

Shericka Jackson plans to go faster than her world-leading time when she competes in the Diamond League 200m final on Thursday.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be in Zurich this week after all.

After her loss on Friday to Shericka Jackson in the 100m at the Allianz Memorial van Damme Diamond League meeting in Brussels, 2022 World 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether she will compete at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich in four days’ time.

Fraser-Pryce, who complained of a tight hamstring prior to withdrawing from the 100m in Lausanne two weeks ago, ran 10.74 for second after she was edged at the line by Jackson who clocked a meet-record 10.73 for victory.

Afterwards, Fraser-Pryce, who admitted at the pre-race press conference on Thursday that she was not 100 per cent, said she did not suffer an injury during the race but was being cautious regarding her participation in Diamond League final next week.

“I feel okay about today´s race. It wasn´t anything spectacular but I felt good I do not have any injury so that is the most important part,” she said.

“I am not sure about Zurich I will have to wait and listen to my body but today was really amazing. I love running in Brussels.”

Meanwhile, Jackson was obviously pleased to be the only woman to defeat her imperious compatriot.

“It takes a lot of hard work to beat Shelley-Ann. She's a tough cookie to beat,” Jackson declared.

 “So you need to keep working hard if you want to win. Tonight I had a good execution of my race, so I'm happy with that.”

Shericka Jackson ran a meet record to hand Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce her first defeat over 100m this season at the Allianz Memorial van Damme Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday.

Jackson, 28, the 2022 200m world champion ran 10.73 to edge Fraser-Pryce at the line.  The 2022 100m world champion clocked 10.74 for second place.

Marie Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast was third in 10.78.

Aleia Hobbs of the United States, who ran 10.81 to beat Jackson in Lausanne, two weeks ago, clocked 10.91 for fourth.

American Sha’carri Richardson who ran 11.29 to defeat Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah in Luzern, Switzerland on Tuesday was fifth in 10.93.

The eyes of the track and field world will turn to Brussels, Belgium on Friday where another mouthwatering match-up in the women’s 100m could unfold at the Diamond League.

Based on the entry list, the race could feature a clash between 100m World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, 200m World champion Shericka Jackson and flamboyant young American sprinter Sha ‘Carri Richardson.    

It remains to be seen, though, whether Fraser-Pryce, who has dominated the event so far this season, will face the starter.  The sprinter, who has run below 10.7s on six occasions this season, pulled out of last week’s Lausanne Diamond League meet with a tight hamstring.

In her absence, the race was won by the United States Aleia Hobbs who surprised World championship silver medalist Jackson.  Some attention for the race will also be turned to Richardson who has had a poor season to date but did managed to secure a narrow win over Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah at the Luzern World Athletics Continental Tour-Silver Meet in Switzerland on Tuesday.

The fates conspired against Jamaica’s 100m women and the USA’s Aleia Hobbs took full advantage to win in the blue-ribbon sprint in 10.87 at the Athletissima Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on Friday.

Reigning 200m World Champion Shericka Jackson has admitted that the crushing disappointment of failing to advance out of the first round of her pet event at last year’s Toyko Olympic Games provided fuel to ignite a stellar 2022.

Jackson, one of the favourites to win the race in the Toyko, failed to advance beyond the first round of the event after miscalculating badly in the heats.  After leading the race comfortably for most of the way, the sprinter eased up before the line and was passed by two other athletes.

One year later, however, there would be no such mistakes as she not only advanced from the preliminary round but went on to clock a blistering 21.45 to take gold in the World Championship final.  The time was the second fastest ever clocked over the distance behind Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 21.34.

In addition, however, Jackson also claimed the silver medal behind celebrated compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m.  Her time of 10.71 was a huge personal best and made her the 6^th fastest woman of all time.

“I worked really hard this year.  Last year not advancing in the 200m made me mentally strong.  Last year’s loss for me in the 200m took a toll because the 200 is my favorite event and not the 100,” Jackson told members of the media, ahead of Thursday’s Lausanne Diamond League meet.

“For me not to be able to advance made me work extremely hard this year.  I got stronger in the gym and I think that paid off in my running 21.4.”

Jackson will face off against Fraser-Pryce and their compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah in a fiery Diamond League clash set for Thursday in Lausanne.

Five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce believes if she can have a race on Friday where everything comes together, getting below 10.6 is possible.

Could Shely-Ann Fraser Pryce's meet record of 10.60 be on borrowed time when three of the four fastest women in the world this year line up for the 100m at the Lausanne Diamond League meeting on August 26?

World 200m champion Shericka Jackson, Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles gold medallist Rasheed Broadbell and Christopher Taylor have all been included in Jamaica’s 39-member team to the NACAC Area Championships set to run from August 19-21 in The Bahamas.

Ahead of her much-anticipated clash with five-time 100m world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Monaco on Wednesday, 200m world champion Shericka Jackson has revealed that she has not yet achieved her goal in the 100m.