Fraser-Pryce may retire next year

BERLIN • Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is currently preparing for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, has hinted that the defence of her 100m title at the 2021 world championships could be her swansong from athletics.

The 33-year-old surged to an unprecedented fourth world gold medal in Doha last September on her return to major competition after giving birth to son Zyon in 2017. But she admitted that her career is nearing the finishing line.

Fraser-Pryce will be 34 by the time the United States hosts the next world championships in Eugene, Oregon in August 2021 - an event she has pencilled in to potentially bring down the curtain on her illustrious career.

"After Tokyo, I am the defending champion at the world championships in Eugene and that is so close to home," Fraser-Pryce, who has won two Olympic and nine world titles over the last 12 years, said on Monday night. "I am taking it a year at a time. After Tokyo, I can make that decision."

American athletics great Michael Johnson, who won four Olympic gold medals and eight world titles, believes that the evergreen Fraser-Pryce is still the woman to beat in the 100m in Tokyo and is willing to "put money" on her coming in first.

Having won Olympic golds at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, she is also bidding to complete the hat-trick this summer after settling for bronze in her pet event at Rio in 2016.

"I'm feeling good, the last two years have been amazing journey for me and added to my motivation in getting me ready for Tokyo," she added.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE