Iconic sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has enjoyed a phenomenal season, including a fifth world title in the 100m at the World Championships in Eugene. Following her exploits in the US, many thought the effervescent Jamaican would take to the track at the Commonwealth Games where she would've been the clear favourite to claim the gold medal.
However, with just a week to prepare for the 22nd edition of the Games following a gruelling World Championship campaign, the 35-year-old is one of several elite athletes who were absent from the Birmingham event and she told Mirror Sport exactly why. “Well the Commonwealth Games was just never on the agenda for me this year,” 2022’s fastest woman explained. “Especially because I did the double at the world championship, it took a lot out of me to do, and the 4x100m.
"So to come back maybe a week or two after to do another three rounds and possibly two in the 4x100m, my coach said that would probably be too much for me to handle right now if I'm thinking about longevity and wanting to get to Paris 2024, so I had to be strategic about that." She missed the 2018 Gold Coast Games having had her son several months prior. But she did recall fond memories of her experience at the 2014 games in Glasgow, where she helped Team Jamaica claim gold in the 4x100m relay alongside Kerron Stewart, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Schillonie Calvert.
"It was good, I don't think at that time I was at my absolute best, I was carrying some injuries,” Fraser-Pryce shared. "Being able to compete with the team at the Commonwealth Games was definitely a good memory for me. The relays are always exciting and it was good to be able to represent the team.
"It was my first experience at the Commonwealth Games being able to be in a village with different athletes was just wonderful." The heartbreak of finishing second in the 100m at Tokyo 2020 fuelled the fire within the Pocket Rocket to reclaim her crown from compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah in 2022.
Fraser-Pryce began the season with a bang, clocking 10.67 at the Kip Keino Classic and from there she never looked back. The multi-time champion has recorded the five fastest times this year, including the world lead of 10.66 which was set just yesterday at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Poland.
The icon is in supreme form and when asked if she can break Florence Griffith Joyner’s long-standing 100m record of 10.49, the confident champion said: “It's in my thoughts because seeing what happened last year and this year I think it's possible. If you're going to dream, your dreams and goals have to be big. I definitely think I am knocking on that door and in terms of getting my technique right and getting an almost perfect race. I believe I'll be able to push myself close to that and if I am able to do that I will be satisfied.
"It's good to have a dream no matter how out of the world it may seem to others. I ran 10.60 consistently throughout the season and one of those times it wasn't close to a perfect race and it wasn't what I expected and I was still able to do that. So those things make you optimistic and give you a good outlook that I can definitely get there."
While the athlete has mastered the art of running the shortest race, the 200m has always been incredibly challenging. However, she does own a world title over the distance which she claimed in Moscow nine years ago. She produced a stellar run to claim the 200m silver medal at Hayward Field this year and was only bested by the rampant Shericka Jackson. Her compatriot produced the race’s second fastest time in history to claim gold, such are the standards you need to reach if you get the better of the sprint queen when it matters most.
However, that may be the last time we see Fraser-Pryce don a trademark florescent wig in the 200m at a major championship, but did not rule out competing over the distance again elsewhere. "In terms of running the 200m at future championships, I doubt that,” she said. “But running it as a one-off race at a diamond league or continental tour, definitely possible."
After producing a stellar career which includes three Olympic titles, 10 world championship gold medals as well as winning the Diamond League on four separate occasions, Fraser Pryce is one of the greatest sportspeople to ever compete. She aims to add to her impressive résumé and will have the opportunities to do so at next year’s World Championships in Budapest and at the 2024 Olympics.
Fraser-Pryce continues to get better with age and while her form suggests running beyond the Paris Games is a distinct possibility, the sprinter does not want to look too far ahead. "Are you serious? You want me to run past 2024?”, she chuckled. “A year at a time, then we'll see how things go, you'll never know. I'll just wait and see what unfolds after that and then we'll take it from there."
