21st November 2012 01:52
The reason was understandable.
In a split second, the memories started to flood back to the summer of 1989 and the competition's equivalent, the European Cup, which was staged at the same venue.
Great Britain, the host nation, had never won the Cup before.
Their men's team included some of the country's greatest athletes - such as Linford Christie, John Regis, Kriss Akabusi, Tom McKean and Steve Backley.
And then, in the 110m hurdles, the Welshman Jackson.
He was 22 at the time, the previous summer he had won silver at the Olympic Games in Seoul and in 1986 he had finished second at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.
But this competition is not about medals. It is about points for the team and Jackson will never forget how he felt.
A man who progressed to win the world title twice and break the world record admitted: '1989 in Gateshead was the most pressure I was ever under in my entire life.
'The fact that Linford, Kriss and all the relays guys had won and they were all laughing at me saying 'You have to start tomorrow, Colin'.
'I was like 'Thanks guys!' It was a huge pressure and I can remember I was so relieved to get over the final hurdle and win.
'If you find pictures of me crossing the line in 1989, you will see the relief written all over my face.
'As you are representing a team, it gives that stress factor which you do not get on the Grand Prix circuit.
'You can make a mistake in a Grand Prix - and guess what? Only you lose out.
'But under these circumstances you have to deliver for your team. That just puts a little bit more pressure on you, which means when it comes to the Olympic Games and World Championships, you are ready to deliver because you know you can handle any stress anyone throws at you.'
Jackson triumphed in 13.56 from Vladimir Shishkin, of the Soviet Union, in 13.76 with West Germany's Florian Schwarthoff third in 13.88.
Along with Jackson, Britain won seven other events, with victory for Christie in the 100m, Regis in the 200m, McKean in the 800m, Dalton Grant in the high jump, Backley in the javelin and both relays as they took the title with 115 points from East Germany with 103 and the Soviet Union with 101.
The British women performed superbly too, finishing third with 84 points behind winners East Germany with 120 and the Soviet Union with 95.
The atmosphere then in Gateshead was amazing - and Jackson compared it to this summer's noise and excitement at the Olympic Stadium in London.
He said: 'The crowd knew that every single victory was vital if we were to win the Cup.
'You were talking about athletics superpowers such as Russia and East Germany. And for us to beat them...wow!'
Jackson went on to win the 110m hurdles at the event on four more occasions but the experience – and the nerves - of 1989 have never gone away.