Beating Shericka Jackson? Yeah… that’s not something you just accidentally do. We’re talking about the Jamaican sprint queen—the second-fastest woman ever in the 200m. Her 21.41 from the 2023 World Championships is just a hair (0.07 seconds!) off Flo Jo’s legendary world record. And let’s not ignore her 100m game—10.65, fifth-fastest in history. But as wild as her resume is, 2025 hasn’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for her. Injuries had her sidelined, and her big return to the 200m last weekend was the first time we’d seen her in that event since July 2024.

Fast forward to May 2 in Shanghai/Keqiao—the second stop of the Diamond League season. You could feel the buzz. Even without Shericka Jackson in the lineup, people were expecting a show. And oh, they got one. Her rival, the same one who handed her that L last weekend, stepped up again. While Shericka’s still finding her rhythm, her opponent’s out here winning races and dropping quotes like she owns the place.

And yep, she’s starting to stir up serious talk about being next in line to dominate the sprints—especially with all the GST chatter floating around. So, who’s stealing the spotlight? Say hello to Anavia Battle. The American sprint star is on fire right now—back-to-back wins, both clean and commanding. In Shanghai, she blasted out of the blocks and never looked back, cruising to a 22.38 season best.

Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke tried to reel her in but had to settle for second in 22.72. Norway’s Henriette Jaeger made a late push and rounded out the podium with 22.86. Just a week earlier, Battle had already made headlines by beating Shericka Jackson, clocking a 22.41 to break the meet record. And let’s not pretend that wasn’t a massive confidence boost.

But the real mic-drop moment came after her recent win. Battle didn’t shy away from the spotlight. “I am getting used to winning at the Diamond League. It is such a good feeling,” she said. And she’s not sugarcoating anything either—“I wouldn’t say that was the best execution for a race that I have had. I had to work today, and I need to put some pieces together when I get back.”

She knows there’s still room to level up—and she’s not done yet. She’s loving the journey, too. “It is a really good place to be in May. I really enjoy the Diamond Leagues in China,” she added. And if you think her plans stop here, think again. “I hope to do the Rome Diamond League and then work some things out with the Grand Slam meet. I’m willing to do both the 100m and the 200m at the US Championships and hopefully make the team for the World Championships.”

From dark horse to serious contender, Battle is building steam—and with Paris on the horizon, she’s giving off serious main character energy. Remember her season opener?

Anavia Battle’s breakout year puts Shericka Jackson on notice

Anavia Battle is finally living up to the hype—and then some. She kicked off her season with a bang at the Texas Relays, grabbing wins in the 100m and 4x100m, plus a solid third in the 4x400m. A few weeks later at the Tom Jones Memorial, she kept the momentum rolling, anchoring her 4x100m team to victory before storming to another win in the 100m.

After years of narrowly missing U.S. team sports, Battle’s breakout is starting to feel real. With the way she’s been running, she’s suddenly a very real threat to Sha’Carri Richardson and the rest of America’s sprint elite. Her last major appearance came at the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she ran the 200m but didn’t make it past the semifinals. Since then, it’s been a tough road—plenty of promise, but no big-stage breakthroughs.

That might be changing. This season, Battle has been nearly flawless on the track, and her performances in the Diamond League, including a win over Shericka Jackson and another dominant showing in Shanghai, have people talking. Of course, Shericka Jackson isn’t going down without a fight. The Jamaican sprint queen had a rough break at the last Olympics—forced to withdraw after suffering an injury just days before her race, crushing her medal hopes.

But in 2025, Jackson returned to the track with a vengeance, opening her season in Kingston with a 7.18 in the 60m after six months off. And let’s not forget, she’s still the second-fastest woman ever in the 200m with that mind-blowing 21.41 and holds five Olympic and eight World Championship medals. Battle may be rising fast, but Jackson’s legacy and fire aren’t fading anytime soon. The showdown is only just getting started.