Editing Colin Jackson (section)

== Early life ==
Jackson, born in [[Cardiff]], South Wales, is of Jamaican and Panamanian descent. A DNA test indicated his ancestry is mostly African and European with some North American Indigenous ancestry, suggesting descent from [[Jamaican Maroons]] and [[Taíno people|Taínos]]. Genealogical research shows his mixed-race Panamanian-born mother had [[Scottish people|Scottish]] ancestry.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/whodoyouthinkyouare/past-stories/colin-jackson.shtml Who Do You Think You Are – Colin Jackson]. [[BBC Sport]]. Retrieved on 18 June 2009.</ref> He is the brother of actress [[Suzanne Packer]] who played [[Tess Bateman]] in the [[BBC One]] hospital drama ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''. Jackson grew up in [[Birchgrove, Cardiff|Birchgrove]], attending [[Springwood Primary School]] and then [[Llanedeyrn High School]]. He played [[association football|football]] and [[cricket]] for the county and [[rugby union]] and basketball for his school and joined the athletics club [[Birchgrove Harriers]], which nurtured his talent. As captain of his school cricket team, he and four team-mates were invited to trials for the Welsh national cricket team: whilst his team-mates were all picked, Jackson was passed over – he attributed this to racism, and has said it resulted in him quitting the sport and focusing on athletics, as "athletics had more people that looked like me".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/53168530 |title='Change is coming' – Tommie Smith backs sports stars making anti-racism stand |last=McGregor |first=Nesta |date=27 June 2020 |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=28 June 2020}}</ref> Jackson has also stated he felt discriminated against by [[British Athletics]] for selections and sponsorship. He said: "I felt the discrimination was because I was Welsh more than anything else."<ref>{{cite news |title=Colin Jackson: "The discrimination [I felt] was actually because I was Welsh..." |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04t0jkh |access-date=15 February 2021 |publisher=BBC |date=15 February 2017}}</ref>