‘A Little Concerned’ - Sprint Legends Worried About Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Before Tokyo Worlds

Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce are far from peak condition heading into the Tokyo World Championships, which has left both Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green concerned.

Former sprinters Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green have expressed concern over Jamaican sprint queens Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce  heading into the upcoming Tokyo World Championships taking place in September.

The world's fastest woman alive in the 200m ran a brilliant new Season's Best (SB) of 22.17s in Silesia to announce her comeback to form and readiness to defend her world title in Tokyo.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

 She held off a strong challenge from Brittany Brown (22.21) and Favour Ofili (22.25) in second and third place, respectively.

However, it was reported that she will not be competing in Lausanne on Wednesday, despite bouncing back to winning ways and showing impressive form in her last race in Silesia.

Gatlin: Lack of 400m Sharpness May Be Hitting Jackson Hard

Gatlin, a former World and Olympic champion himself suggested Jackson may not have had her usual stamina from the 400 meters  to rely on anymore, considering she only won the 200 meters in Silesia by dipping:

“It seems like the Shericka we know—who usually builds off a 400m base, then drops down to the 200m and sharpens for the 100m—hasn’t had that same base this year,” he said on the Ready Set Go podcast.

“Normally she dominates these races, but lately she’s been leaning for the line, which makes me scratch my head. It makes me a little nervous for her going into the championships.”

Still, Gatlin left room for optimism:

“She has a month to get ready, so maybe she can land the plane at the right time, but right now she’s not the Shericka we’ve been used to seeing.”

Green: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Off The Pace

Meanwhile, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who will be retiring at the end of 2025,  only managed a fourth-placed finish in the women's 100m at the Hungrarian Grand Prix recently, as Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou Smith held off Tina Clayton and world 200m champion Shericka Jackson.

Green admitted that her most recent clocking of 11.10 seconds was below the standard expected of her at this stage of the season:

“Yes, she sometimes sandbags in races, but I don’t think this late in the game, with her not being seen for a while, is a good sign. I feel like she wanted to test her legs to see where she was. With all the young ladies running the way they are, 11.10 is definitely not enough,” Green shared on the same platform.

Green stressed the importance of Fraser-Pryce returning to her rhythm:

“I wouldn’t have been concerned if she had run 10.90—but 11.10? At this stage, her body needs to feel those 10-second efforts, get into that rhythm, and know that she’s ready. That’s why I’m concerned.”

With just weeks to go before Tokyo, the spotlight is firmly on two of Jamaica’s greatest sprint queens. Jackson has shown flashes of brilliance but remains under scrutiny, while Fraser-Pryce, in her farewell season, faces doubts about her readiness.