Shericka Jackson slammed by Jamaican coach for 200m failure She paid the price

Tokyo 2020: Asher-Smith cries as she reveals 200m pullout

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Iconic coach Stephen Francis has criticised Jamaica star Shericka Jackson for the sprinter’s shock exit from the women’s 200m. Jackson had won the bronze medal in the women’s 100m final on Saturday and was seen as one of the favourites in the 200m.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had earlier won her heat in a time of 22.22 while Namibia’s Christine Mboma had set a World U20 record in her heat with American Gabrielle Thomas.

Jackson was up next in the fifth heat and was expected to sail through to the semi finals.

But she appeared to run within herself to seemingly conserve some of her energy.

Still, with 80m to go, Jackson was in a strong position to pick up the pace and make her place in the semi-finals a sure thing.

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However, Jackson misjudged what the other runners were doing as she failed to finish inside the top three positions to automatically qualify for the semi-finals.

Her time of 23.26 was not quick enough to progress into the semis, meaning she will now have to wait for the 4x100m relay for a chance at another medal at Tokyo 2020.

And veteran coach Francis, whose brother Paul looks after Jackson, was far from impressed by Jackson’s performance.

“Obviously she misread and she paid the price,” Francis told The Gleaner.

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“I expected her to do better but she didn’t and I can see why, but she will learn.”

He added: “[I will tell her] that she will learn.”

Dina Asher-Smith, the defending 200m world champion, was set to compete for gold for Britain in the race.

But the British track star revealed in a heartbreaking and tearful interview that she would have to pull out of the 200m race due to a hamstring injury.

“I’m so grateful to everybody who worked so I could stand here on the track and race here tonight.

“Obviously I was not my normal self, but it has been quite a journey, so I’m really proud. The most frustrating thing is I was in the shape of my life – and I can say that with my hand on my heart.

“If you had asked me six weeks ago, I was confident I was going to win this entire thing.

“I knew every part of my race – my start, transition and finish. They were better than some of the fastest women in the world.

“I am going to pull out, and that is the one as reigning world champion – you know that Olympic champion isn’t that much of a further step.

“It doesn’t change the calibre of the athlete that I am and I know that if I want to showcase that I just need a few more weeks of power training, a bit more speed endurance to fill that gap of when I was trying to walk again.”

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