Jackson now aiming for first gold

After landing an upset win in the 200m at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Rome, Italy, on Thursday, Tokyo Olympic Games 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson says a maiden individual World title is the goal as the World Athletics Championships draws closer.

Jackson stormed to victory in a season's best and meet record time of 21.91 seconds at Stadio Olympico, in a loaded field that included double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson Herah, reigning World champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain and Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of The Bahamas. Thompson Herah was second in a season's best of 22.25, while Asher-Smith finished third in 22.27, also a season's best.

The win is her first of the 2022 season and it's also the second fastest time in the world this year. Jackson said that she is determined to end the wait for a gold medal this season.

"I definitely know that (if) I perform at my best, I will make the time," she said after the race. "After the [National] Trials, and [if] everything goes well, my aim is to add a gold medal to my name. I have many individual medals at 400m and 100m, but I need to get that gold medal in any event that might be. This is my aim this season."

Only Tokyo Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia has run faster this year, when she clocked 21.87 on April 30.

Thompson Herah said she was satisfied with the time and is focused on preparation for the National Championships in two weeks.

"I ran a season's best, I cannot complain," she said. "I still have to work on some stuff. Now I concentrate on my nationals and I am looking forward to the World Championships."

Britany Anderson clocked a season's best of 12.50 to finish second in the women's 100m hurdles. Tokyo Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won in a meet record and world-leading time of 12.37. Former World champion Danielle Williams was fifth in 12.90 and Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper was seventh in 13.08.

Janieve Russell finished second in the women's 400m hurdles in 54.18 seconds while World Championship bronze medallist Rushell Clayton finished fifth in a season's best of 54.80.

Christopher Taylor finished fifth in his second 400m race of the season, clocking 45.47 while Natoya Goule finished sixth in the women's 800m clocking 1:59.54 minutes. Nigel Ellis finished fourth in the men's 100m, clocking 10.17.