Jackson eyeing worlds 200m gold after trumping Thompson-Herah in Rome

ROME: Shericka Jackson is gunning for an individual gold medal at next month’s world championships after seeing off a star-studded field to claim victory in the women’s 200m at Thursday’s Diamond League meeting in Rome.

Jamaican Jackson clocked 21.91sec to cross well clear of double Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah and reigning world champion Dina Asher-Smith.

The 27-year-old won bronze in the 100m in last year’s Tokyo Olympics and was part of the 4x100m relay team, alongside Thompson-Herah, which won gold in the Japanese capital.

“My aim is to add a gold medal to my name,” said Jackson.

“I have many individual medals at 400m and 100m, but I need to get that gold medal in any event that might be. This is my aim this season.”

Jackson ended Thompson-Herah’s unbeaten record this season with a meeting record and season’s best time as the worlds in Eugene, Oregon, loom.

Her performance was all the more impressive due to her compatriot and Briton Asher-Smith both running respective season’s best times of 22.25sec and 22.27sec.

“This race was a good one. I ran a season´s best, I cannot complain,” said Thompson-Herah.

“I still have to work on some stuff. Now I concentrate on my nationals and I am looking forward to the world championships.”

Another Tokyo gold medal winner in Athing Mu showed what she was made of by strolling to victory in her favored 800m on her first appearance in a European Diamond League meeting.

American Mu, one of the stars of last year’s Olympics who turned 20 on Wednesday, finished in 1:57.01, the fastest time in the world this year.

Mu was racing the distance for the first time in a serious outdoor event this season and blitzed the opposition, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of