TOKYO, Japan – Only two of the Jamaican women who swept the 100m medals at the Tokyo Olympics will advance to the semifinals of the 200m after Shericka Jackson crashed out dramatically with a lacklustre run in her first round heat.

Defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who is seeking to retain her double, made a successful start, placing third in her first round heat in 22.86 seconds (0.4m/s) after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also advanced with a 22.22 seconds (0/4m/s) clocking to win her heat.

Thompson-Herah did just enough to secure her progress to the semifinal which will be run hours later in the afternoon session on day four as she jogged from fifth place to third and eased across the line behind Canada’s Crystal Emmanuel who ran a season’s best 22.74 seconds and Beth Dobbins of Great Britain who equalled her season’s best 22.78 seconds.

Fraser-Pryce ran a hard first 80 metres before shutting down and cruising to the line first in her race.

Jackson, who ran a personal best 21.82 seconds, at the Jamaican national championships and took the bronze in the 100m less than two days ago, looked flat in her race and never threatened the leader, finishing fourth in 23.26 second (-0.3m/s) and missing out on the automatic qualifying spot.

Paul A Reid