'Gifted' Fraser-Pryce still golden at 35

EUGENE (Oregon) • To maintain a track career at the top of one's game demands raw ability, good coaching and a drive that supersedes all.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has that in spades and on Sunday, once again demonstrated her steely desire and sprinting prowess as she bagged a record fifth women's 100 metres title.

"The secret behind my success is that I am a competitor, I love to compete and I believe God has given me a gift," said the three-time Olympic gold medallist.

At Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the veteran raced home in her trademark dyed flowing locks in a championship record of 10.67 seconds as Jamaica sealed a clean sweep in the blue-riband event.

Teammates Shericka Jackson, who finished third at last year's Tokyo Games, took silver in a personal best of 10.73sec, while Elaine Thompson-Herah, a four-time Olympic individual gold medallist, claimed the bronze (10.81sec).

What stands out is Fraser-Pryce's winning time: At the age of 35, she bagged her fifth gold in a faster time than when she won in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2019.

It was an astonishing accomplishment that the track great herself acknowledged.

"I somehow feel special. I always want to compete and show the work that I have been doing. I'm hard-working, keen, driven and always hungry to do more," Fraser-Pryce said.

"It's special, it's my fifth world title in the 100m, and doing it at 35, yes I said 35! A lot of times, people talk about my age or being a mother but I think of it as part of the journey in life. And instead of thinking of it as something that will negatively affect me, I look at it as a positive experience."

With her sights now firmly set on the women's 200m, which takes place on Thursday, Fraser-Pryce fired a warning shot to her rivals.

"I definitely believe I can run faster and once I have that belief, I'm not going to stop until I do it. I've always just trusted myself and my coach, and believed in my abilities and once I'm healthy, I'm always going to compete," she said.

Fraser-Pryce added predictions of a Jamaican sweep had been well founded.

"It was definitely something on the cards," she said. "I'm glad I was the one who finished first in the sweep and I'm glad the other ladies came through and we were able to celebrate the 1-2-3."

While this was the second successive sweep after the United States took all the medals in the men's 100m race on Saturday, Jamaica became the first country to fill the podium in the women's 100m at the world meet.

"This is the third 1-2-3 (100m at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2020 Tokyo Games) that I've been a part of and I'm so excited," she said.

"Today, I was able to come away with the win. I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do it at 35, having a baby, still going, and hopefully inspiring women that they can make their own journey."

One of the first athletes to congratulate Fraser-Pryce was American veteran Allyson Felix, who marked her final World Athletics Championships appearance with a 19th world medal, a bronze, in the 4x400 mixed relay last Friday.

"35 years old! A mother! 10.67! 5th world title! Yessss @realshellyannfp it's your night!!!" the 36-year-old, a leading advocate for female athletes' rights, tweeted.

Fraser-Pryce expressed her wish to "add to inspiration like Allyson to show women that you can have success after 30, you're not limited by anything".

"And I know especially for shoe companies, they like to think that when women reach a certain age, they want to discard them, but I'm grateful that I'm showing women that it can be done," she added.

There will now be a more subdued celebration for Fraser-Pryce with her family, who shy away from the razzmatazz of track and field, when they return home.

"My husband and my son were in the stands, but funnily enough, they don't really like the spotlight so they sit all the way up the top to not have anyone see them," she said.

While Jamaica celebrated, it was also another bonanza day for the Americans, who again won big on the third day of the 10-day competition, claiming four out of seven gold medals on offer on Sunday.

Tokyo 2020 Games silver medallist Grant Holloway defended his 110m hurdles title in 13.03sec, beating compatriot Trey Cunningham by five hundredths of a second.

On the field, two-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser also reinforced US dominance in the men's shot put by winning his first world title in a competition record of 22.94m.

Two-time world champion Joe Kovacs and Josh Awotunde complete the podium sweep in 22.89m and 22.29m respectively, while Katie Nageotte edged out fellow American Sandi Morris as she cleared 4.85m with a single attempt for the pole vault gold.

World-record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda retained his 10,000m title in 27min 27.43sec. Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola won the men's marathon in a meet record of 2hr 5min 36sec, while compatriot Gotytom Gebreslase won the women's event in a championship record of 2hr 18min 11sec.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA