Grace Jackson (born Jun 14, 1961) is a Jamaican former athlete who competed mainly in the 100 and 200 metres. She won an Olympic silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and is a former Jamaican record-holder in the 200m and 400m. She was Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year in 1986 and 1988.

Career

Born in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, West Indies Federation, Jackson reached the 100m and 200m finals in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, finishing fifth in both. A year later, she won the 200m title at the 1985 Universiade and finished second in the 100m and 200m at the 1985 IAAF World Cup. She won a bronze medal in the 200m at the 1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships behind Heike Drechsler and Merlene Ottey.

The highlight of her career was at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she won a silver medal in the 200m behind Florence Griffith-Joyner's still-standing world record of 21.34. Jackson ran a Jamaican record time of 21.72 seconds that was .01 seconds short of the pre-Olympic world record Griffith-Joyner broke. In the process, she finished ahead of then-200m World Champion Silke Moller (5th), Heike Drechsler (3rd) and teammate Merlene Ottey (4th). Ottey would regain the Jamaican record in 1990. She won a silver medal in the 200m at the 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships behind Ottey. Later that year she broke the Jamaican 400m record with a time of 49.57 seconds, which would stand as the national record for 13 years. In November 1990, she married Hugh Small.

Jackson concluded her international career by finishing sixth in the 200m final at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Achievements

Personal Bests:

  • 100 metres – 11.08sec (1988) – also ran 10.97 wind-assisted (+3.0) in 1988
  • 200 metres – 21.72sec (1988) – stood as Jamaican Record from 1988 to 1990
  • 400 metres – 49.57sec (1988) – stood as Jamaican Record from 1989 to 2002
  • Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year in 1986 and 1988
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing Jamaica
1976CARIFTA Games (U-20)Nassau, Bahamas2ndHigh jump1.65 m
1978CARIFTA Games (U-20)Nassau, Bahamas3rd100 m hurdles16.56
Central American and Caribbean GamesMedellín, Colombia2ndHigh jump1.70 m
Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-20)Xalapa, Mexico1stHigh jump1.65 m A
1982Commonwealth GamesBrisbane, Australia7th200 m23.25
3rd4 × 100 m43.69
1983World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland5th200 m22.63 (wind 1.5)
heats4 × 400 m3:34.17
1984Olympic GamesLos Angeles, United States5th100 m11.39
5th200 m22.20
8th4 × 100 m53.54
5th4 × 400 m3:27.51
1985UniversiadeKobe, Japan3rd100 m11.35
1st200 m22.59
World CupCanberra, Australia=2nd100 m11.30
2nd200 m22.61
4th4 × 100 m43.39
1987World Indoor ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States3rd200 m23.21
1988Olympic GamesSeoul, South Korea4th100 m10.97w
2nd200 m21.72
4 × 100 mDNS final
1989World Indoor ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary2nd200 m22.95
World CupBarcelona, Spain3rd200 m22.87
4th4 × 100 m43.58
1st4 × 400 m3:23.05
1992Olympic GamesBarcelona, Spain6th200 m22.58

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