Jamaica's Shericka Jackson pulls out of 100m sprint days before going head-to-head with Sha'Carri Richardson
Jamaican sprint star Shericka Jackson will not run in the 100 metres when Olympic track and field starts later this week.
Her decision clears away one of the sprinters who had been expected to give Sha'Carri Richardson her toughest competition in the sport's marquee event.
Jackson did not go into details when she confirmed she would focus only on the 200 metres, which is typically her better event.
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The opening round for the women's 100 metres is on Friday at the Stade de France.
Jackson pulled up with a leg cramp at an Olympic tuneup race in Hungary earlier this month, but her coach, Stephen Francis, told the Jamaica Gleaner website this week that "she appears OK to me".
Shericka Jackson, pictured here in 2022, has pulled out of the 100m. AP
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Defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah is not at Paris 2024, also dealing with injuries.
Another Jamaican, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, is competing in her fifth and final Olympics.
She has two gold medals at 100 metres, in 2008 and 2012.
Richardson is the reigning world champion at 100 metres.
