Shericka Jackson and Gabrielle Thomas, two of the fastest women over the 200m, will be chasing their first individual Olympic gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Jackson whose focus is razor-sharp on the half-lap event after opting out of the 100m is the fastest of the field with 21.41 seconds, her winning time from the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships, which makes her the favourite on paper.
Despite the late decision to put all her focus on the individual 200m for now, the Jamaican has assured that she’s in “great shape” and remains in the hunt for the gold.
Thomas too has enjoyed the best of times, moving up to the fourth-fastest 200m time in history of 21.60s.
“When I came back from the Tokyo Olympics with a bronze medal and a silver, I was very happy with that,” the American explained in an interview with Sky Sport.
“I would have been happy ending my career there. It’s really all the outward talk and chatter that you hear that makes you want that gold medal. You’re like, ‘Dang, well I really got to go get that!’ But it wasn’t about that for me. It was about the fact that I put on a performance that I was proud of, and that was my best season to date. If I can go and replicate that in Paris, I’ll be really happy. Hopefully, that ends up with a gold medal.”
But the consistency and grit of experienced sprinters like Dina Asher-Smith, Great Britain’s 2019 world 200m champion, and Cote d’Ivoire legend Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith could be a game changer at the Stade de France. The African star has managed a top-five in the sprint double at the last two Games.
That, and the unpredictable nature of the 200m at the Olympics, could also work in favour of 2018 Youth Olympic 100m silver medallist Julien Alfred. The reigning world indoor 60m champion will be chasing history for Saint Lucia, who have never made the Olympic podium.
There have been only three repeat winners in the history of the women’s 200m at the Olympics, the last being Elaine Thompson-Herah who is missing the Games through injury.
Below is the complete women’s 200m schedule at Paris 2024 and how to watch all the action live.