I Shocked the World!— Anavia Battle Reflects on Stunning Shericka Jackson at Diamond League Opener

Anavia BATTLE (USA) competes in 200m Women during the Diamond League Athletics 30th August 2024 at the Olimpic Stadium in Rome

I Shocked the World!— Anavia Battle Reflects on Stunning Shericka Jackson at Diamond League Opener

Festus Chuma 00:20 - 27.04.2025

Anavia Battle stuns Shericka Jackson at the 2025 Xiamen Diamond League, marking a powerful start to her breakout season.

The five-time Olympic medalist, Shericka Jackson was smoothened in a stunning upset at the 2025 Xiamen Diamond League, as rising American sprinter Anavia Battle outpaced her in the 200m event.

Jackson, a seasoned Jamaican superstar, finished second with a time of 22.79 seconds, while Battle seized her moment with a commanding performance.

Anavia Battle, a Michigan native and proud representative of Team USA, made headlines in 2020 after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics by finishing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

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Battle clocked a personal best of 21.95 seconds during those trials, a record that positioned her as a future star of American sprinting.

During a post-race interview with CITIUS MAG, Battle opened up about her emotions and strategy after the win.

"This is my opener. I was so nervous cause I had not run a 200 yet, but I am happy I did it hear. Really good competition. It had a really good feel. It was great. That 15 hour flight hurt, but I had to suck it up and get out here and compete. Me and my coach have been working on the first half of the race for my 100 m so I feel like that has helped a lot. We are going to Shanghai next. Get some rest before Shanghai. Then back home," she said. as per Diamond League portal.

Battle’s stunning triumph not only marked her first major international victory of the 2025 season but also continued her impressive momentum.

In 2024, she had already made waves at the Shanghai Diamond League meet by finishing second in the 200m, ahead of sprinting sensation Sha'Carri Richardson. Now, by defeating Shericka Jackson — one of the most decorated figures in athletics — Battle has signaled her arrival on the world stage.

Shericka Jackson, a native of Saint Ann, Jamaica, has long been recognized as one of the sport’s greatest talents.

Reflecting on her journey and legacy, Jackson previously spoke with Athletics Weekly in May 2024 about what it means to be regarded as one of the greatest.

"It's funny because probably it's been what 3 years since I'm a part of being among the greatest female sprinters and it's just a good feeling just to be mentioned.... It's not something I always look forward to, yes I wanted to be great. I'm a part of history and being a part of history is something we love, I'm humble about. I've worked hard and I stay humble through all of that and enjoying the moment," she said as per SportsKeeda.

At the Miramar Invitational, she secured second place in the 300m race event with a strong time of 36.13 seconds, finishing just behind Julien Alfred, a two-time Olympic medalist from Saint Lucia.