Shericka Jackson runs third-fastest 200m in history

Summing it up in one word, Shericka Jackson called it “magnificent” after she ran the third-fastest 200m in history, 21.55 seconds to win the Jamaican trials for the world championships in three weeks.

Jackson, who owns Olympic 100m and 400m bronze medals, is joined on the team for worlds in Eugene, Oregon, by Elaine Thompson-Herah (22.05) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (22.14), who combined to win the last four Olympic 100m titles.

In the 200m, only Florence Griffith-Joyner (21.34) and Thompson-Herah (21.53) have ever run faster than Jackson. Jackson’s time was arguably more impressive than Thompson-Herah’s because the wind reading was zero.

“I know I had something special, but I never know it was this special,” Jackson said. “I made so many mistakes in the race. I have probably two and a half weeks, so see how fast I can go.”

In Tokyo, Jackson eased up in her 200m first round, ran 23.26 and missed advancing to the semifinals by four thousandths of a second.

Jackson supplanted U.S, trials champion Abby Steiner as fastest in the world this year. Steiner prevailed in 21.77 seconds on Sunday in Eugene.

Also on the final day of Jamaican trials, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hansle Parchment won the 110m hurdles in 13.14. Rio Olympic gold medalist Omar McLeod was last, just as he was at the Olympic Trials last year.

Britany Anderson won the 100m hurdles in 12.53 and is joined on the world team by Olympic bronze medalist Megan Tapper (12.60) and 2015 World champion Danielle Williams (12.66).

Yohan Blake, two days after winning the 100m in his best time in a decade, made the team in the 200m by placing second in 20.31 seconds to Andrew Hudson (20.10). Blake was the heir apparent to Usain Bolt until suffering hamstring injuries