Shericka Jackson reveals the struggles of her early years
Jamaica's half-lap queen admits in candid interview of putting an emotional wall up due to lack of stability as a child.
Athletics
Two-time 200m world champion Shericka Jackson revealed in a podcast interview that frequently moving as a child had resulted in her being ‘very aggressive’ both on and off the track.
Speaking to Jamaican broadcaster Simone Clarke on her Sim Soul Sessions podcast, Jackson admitted to putting up an emotional wall since childhood.
“I am a person who always had this wall up. Normally I am comfortable on the track, and I don’t get that nervous but today I am nervous,” Jackson said.
“I had this wall up from when I was a child, I think it is kind of hard, I got a bit of help, so the wall is coming down a little bit, but it is still there. I never grew up with a lot of love, so therefore I don't know how to show love."
Jackson was born in Saint Ann Parish but had moved around for a large part of her childhood which had been disruptive in her building lasting relationships. The 29-year-old said she did not particularly enjoy her childhood which she believed contributed to her aggressive temperament.
“I felt like I never had enough to be a child, I felt like I was older than a child moving around, being here for a little while, there for a little while. So, I believe that’s one of the reasons I’m very aggressive even today,” she said.
“It plays out good sometimes and bad. If you see me and don’t know me personally you would not want to approach me. It is good, and it is bad but now I’m in a better space where I’m not so aggressive. I can be but I think I’m a better grown-up now.”
Her aggressive temperament has held her in good stead in track and field with Jackson emerging as one of the biggest female sprinting stars on the planet.
The Jamaican blitz raced to back-to-back world 200m titles at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary and silver in the 100m dash. In Budapest, the double Olympic medallist edged closer to Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 from Seoul 1988. Bursting over the line in 21.41 seconds, Jackson improved her personal best to get within 0.07s of the fastest-ever time.