Jackson out to prove critics wrong

Exactly 10 weeks to go until the opening day of athletics at the Olympic Games and Bershawn Jackson has the form to go with the omen.

Jackson remains in the hunt for the AF Golden League $1m Jackpot after winning the men's 400m Hurdles at the the Exxon Mobil Bislett Games tonight, five days after his victory in Berlin. Two Golden League wins out of two and Jackson, you can tell, has his eyes on the prize.

"Who got knocked out so far?" he eagerly wanted to know shortly after his event had finished in the Bislett Stadium. At that time, given that the men's 400m Hurdles was one of the earlier events, the answer was nobody. However, by the end of the evening, of the seven jackpot-chasers seeking a second victory, only five remained.

"It feels great," Jackson said of his victory by three metres, in world's second fastest time of the year. Only his United States compatriot, Kerron Clement, has run quicker in 2008. Clement's world leading mark is 47.79. Jackson clocked 48.15 while the evergreen 36-year-old Jamaican, Danny McFarlane, placed second in 48.58.

"Everyone doubted me," the 25-year-old Jackson said. "People said I couldn't do it. I had one bad season last year, didn't make it to the finals in Osaka (World Championships) and people forgot about me, so it's a great victory. I had one bad year and I'm totally forgotten about but I'm a warrior, a fighter, and I'm back this year."

Who doubted him exactly? "The track world," he said. "Every meet I went to, at press conferences. I came out this year and wasn't even talked about. When they emphasised a race, they said: 'In this race we have Kerron Clement, James Carter.' I was never mentioned