Jamaica’s Jackson Wins 200 Worlds with 2nd-Fastest Time Ever

Gold medalist Shericka Jackson (C) of Jamaica, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (L) of Jamaica and bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain during the medal ceremony for the women's 200m final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, US, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
Gold medalist Shericka Jackson (C) of Jamaica, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (L) of Jamaica and bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain during the medal ceremony for the women's 200m final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, US, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
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Jamaica’s Jackson Wins 200 Worlds with 2nd-Fastest Time Ever

Gold medalist Shericka Jackson (C) of Jamaica, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (L) of Jamaica and bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain during the medal ceremony for the women's 200m final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, US, 21 July 2022. (EPA)
Gold medalist Shericka Jackson (C) of Jamaica, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (L) of Jamaica and bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain during the medal ceremony for the women's 200m final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, US, 21 July 2022. (EPA)

Shericka Jackson gave the Jamaican women another gold medal in the sprints Thursday night, capturing the 200-meter title at the world championships in the second-fastest time in history, 21.45 seconds.

Jackson crossed 0.16 seconds ahead of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won the 100 four nights earlier. Defending champion Dina Asher-Smith brought another medal back to Britain - the only of the six women's sprint medals not heading back to Jamaica this year.

Seconds after the win, Usain Bolt tweeted "Brilliant" with two Jamaican flags to represent the evening's medal haul.

Jackson's time was second only to one of the most hallowed marks on the books - the 21.34 by Florence Griffith-Joyner at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. It blew away the old world-championship record of 21.63 set by Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands.

Jackson adds this to her silver medal from Sunday night in the 100, and a pair of bronze medals she won in the 400 at worlds in 2015 and 2019.

She came into worlds with the fastest time in 2022, 21.55, though the victory has been building for longer than that. At last year's Olympics, Jackson missed the final after miscalculating in the curve, where she slowed up and finished fourth in her preliminary heat.

She called it a silly mistake and said it was all the fuel she needed to stay motivated for the championships this year.



Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
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Murray to Coach Djokovic Through Australian Open

FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain's Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

The recently retired Andy Murray is going to team up with longtime rival Novak Djokovic as his coach, they both announced Saturday, with plans to prepare for — and work together through — the Australian Open in January.
It was a stunning bit of news as tennis moves toward its offseason, a pairing of two of the most successful and popular players in the sport, both of whom are sometimes referred to as members of a so-called Big Four that also included Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals and finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He ended his playing career after the Paris Summer Games in August.
Both men are 37 and were born a week apart in May 1987. They started facing each other as juniors and wound up meeting 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic holding a 25-11 advantage.
“We played each other since we were boys — 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, history-makers,” Djokovic posted on social media over photos and videos from some of their matches. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, Coach — Andy Murray.”
Djokovic's 2024 season is over, and it was not up to his usual, high standards. He didn't win a Grand Slam trophy; his only title, though, was meaningful to him: a gold medal for Serbia in singles at the Summer Games.
Djokovic has been without a full-time coach since splitting in March from Goran Ivanisevic.
“I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open," The Associated Press quoted Murray as saying in a statement released by his management team. "I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.”
Their head-to-head series on tour includes an 11-8 lead for Djokovic in finals, and 8-2 at Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic beat Murray four times in the Australian Open final alone — in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Two of the most important victories of Murray's career came with Djokovic on the other side of the net. One was in the 2012 US Open final, when Murray claimed his first Grand Slam title. The other was in the 2013 Wimbledon final, when Murray became the first British man in 77 years to win the singles championship at the All England Club.
Next year's Australian Open starts on Jan. 12.