TOKYO, Japan — For Shericka Jackson, her 200m bronze medal shone brighter than gold on Friday night, born not out of dominance, but out of doubt, pain, and the rediscovery of love for a sport that had once broken her spirit.

She calls it “faithful”. A bronze medal that carried the weight of a missed Olympics, painful injuries, countless setbacks and lost passion — but also the courage and refusal to quit on herself.

Jackson bounced back from her 100m disappointment — a fourth-place finish that brought her to tears, to secure the bronze in the 200m final at the World Athletics Championships, clocking 22.18 seconds to cross the line behind American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (21.68) — the world lead, and Great Britain’s Amy Hunt (22.14).

“This medal definitely holds a special place in my heart,” Jackson told the Jamaica Observer. “I call this medal ‘faithful’.”

For an athlete whose career has been a timeline of consistency, medals, and moments of brilliance, the past two years were unlike any before. Pulled hamstrings, a torn quad, the heartbreak of missing the Olympic Games in Paris, and a growing sense of disconnection from the very sport that defined her.

“I think I had fallen out of love with the sport and the passion. I never had it,” she admitted. “Last year it showed, and this year as well, because I’m usually a bubbly person. But this year, I named my medal ‘faithful’ because I kept myself grounded, even coming back from what I went through last year.”

“I dedicate this medal to my management team and everybody who kept me grounded,” Jackson said. “It has been a rough journey, especially since last year. After not competing at the Olympics at all, I think I have recovered well from such a bad injury, and as I said, I pat myself on the shoulder. It has been a journey.”

That journey back to the hilltop, started through rough terrain, deep in the valley of 100m heartbreak.

“Honestly, after the 100m I cried. I was heartbroken,” she said. “But then I remembered that I needed to pat myself on the shoulder because to be able to run 10.88, even though I didn’t get a medal, I think I did really well.”

Summoning what was left of her battered body, Jackson again demonstrated the grit and determination that has defined her career.

“After the 100m I was really disappointed. Just to come back out here and compete, it took a lot out of me mentally more than physically, but I am here and grateful and I am sitting here as a medallist.”

The bronze was not her fastest or her cleanest race. But in context, it might be one of her most valuable.

With a medal now in her pocket, Jackson’s fire is rekindled, her spirit sharper and with the sprint relay still to come, she is ready to keep writing her story.

“We’ve had some good practices,” she said of the 4x100m prospects. “Three of us are from MVP Track Club and we were at the same place and we had some good practices over there. I have not practised with them since I’ve been here in Tokyo because of the doubling. I think once we put the pieces together we will definitely be putting on a show.”