MVP confirms Jackson, McPherson and Morrison will miss Commonwealth Games
BIRMINGHAM, England – President of the MVP Track Club, Bruce James, has confirmed that both the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) have been advised that both Shericka Jackson and Stephenie-Ann McPherson will not be available for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
This is another blow to a Jamaican team that is already missing several big names for the track and field competition, which gets underway at Alexander Stadium on August 2.
“The JAAA and the JOA have both been advised via email that Shericka (Jackson), Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Natasha Morrison are not available for the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” James told the Jamaica Observer.
The email was sent on Saturday.
A few hours earlier, JAAA team manager Ludlow Watts, shared that he had not received any notification at that point and was proceeding as normal with preparations for the athletes.
“I am not listening to those, what I would call rumours, I’m dealing with what she (Jackson) is supposed to be doing here and I’m expecting her to be here within a day or so. So I’m actually dealing on that aspect right now,” Watts said at the time.
Doubts were initially raised about the availability of the freshly minted World Championships 200m champion Jackson, after it was revealed that she is down to compete in the half-lap event at a Diamond League meet in Poland, which starts on August 6, just four days after the start of track and field competition in Birmingham.
There are also doubts around whether discus standout Fedrick Dacres will be competing in Birmingham.
Dacres, the 2019 World Championships silver medal winner and defending Commonwealth Games champion, was left off the final list of entries for the event but eventually appeared to be listed to compete here.
“He (Dacres) is on some start list so I’m going to actually deal with the matter now and once that is confirmed (that he is able to compete here) we are going to do everything to get him flown in immediately,” Watts said.
“He was on the list initially, but then he was off and in the final list that was submitted, he was not included and despite our efforts and the JOA indicated that they had made a significant effort as well, but know that this matter has come up (Dacres’ name appearing on an entry list for the event), I’m going directly to deal with it at this moment,” Watts said.
