World champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica secured a victory in her first 200m race of 2024 at the Diamond League meet in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sunday. Jackson finished with a time of 22.82 seconds, despite a headwind of one meter per second. Notably absent from the field were her primary rivals, Americans Gabby Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson.
Jackson, who repeated as world champion in 2023 with a stunning 21.41 seconds—the second-fastest time in history—faces competition this year from Americans McKenzie Long (22.03), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (22.07), and Thomas (22.08), who have posted the fastest times so far in 2024.
McLaughlin-Levrone, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400m hurdles, has indicated she will not compete in the 200m at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, from June 21-30. Jamaica’s Olympic Trials, set for June 27-30, will determine which three women will compete in the 200m at the Paris Olympics. The field is expected to include Elaine Thompson-Herah, the two-time reigning Olympic 100m and 200m champion, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a three-time global medalist in the 200m and seven-time combined Olympic and world 100m champion.
In other events on Sunday, American Chase Ealey, the two-time reigning world shot put champion, secured her second consecutive Diamond League victory with a throw of 20.00 meters. Sarah Mitton of Canada, the world silver medalist, who has thrown farther than any other competitor this outdoor season, finished third.
In the men’s 800m, world silver medalist Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya edged out fellow Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal with a time of 1:43.84. Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Emmanuel Korir of Kenya finished ninth, continuing a trend of subpar performances since the start of 2023.
Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, the world record holder in men’s discus, won the competition with a 70.70-meter throw. The field included reigning Olympic and world champion Daniel Ståhl of Sweden, who finished third, and 2022 World champion Kristjan Čeh of Slovenia, who finished seventh.
The Diamond League continues next Saturday with the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, which will be broadcast live on NBC, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock from 4-6 p.m. ET. The meet will feature several reigning Olympic or world champions, including Sha’Carri Richardson (100m), Grant Holloway (110m hurdles), Athing Mu (800m), Ryan Crouser (shot put), and Katie Moon (pole vault).
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