Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the G.O.A.T. of the women’s 100m, finished her final World Athletics Championships in style with a sixth-place finish.
Reaching the 100m final, 16 years after winning her maiden world 100m title, was a mic drop moment in itself for the 38-year-old Jamaican superstar.
“Tonight I am really grateful that I was able to stand on the track one more time in the 100m finals. It has been such a privilege, an honour, and my greatest blessing to stand here tonight,” Fraser-Pryce told a media huddle including Olympics.com.
“I came into this championship with so many odds, but I made the final. And I think that is a huge accomplishment. I remember in 2007 when I started, I was unsure what I wanted to do, but I walked away with so much from the championship. This time around, I came with all those experiences from years of participating in the championships.”
The night belonged to newly minted world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, scorching to a championship record of 10.61 seconds. Fraser-Pryce followed in sixth place with 11.03, some way off her personal best of 10.60 at the height of her career.
“To be able to grace the stage with her on her last championship round, in her going-away party, is always a blessing and an honour,” Jefferson-Wooden said of Fraser-Pryce’s legacy.
“My first world championship was actually the last time she won in 2022, and I got last in that race. It is crazy how sometimes life comes full circle. I am grateful to be able to sit here and say she has paved the way for women’s sport.”
Before settling into the blocks, Fraser-Pryce looked relaxed and received a thunderous welcome as she was introduced in the final line-up.
The ‘Mommy Rocket’ burst out of the blocks but, like the rest of the field, could not contend with the sheer speed of Jefferson-Wooden.
At the finish, she received a warm embrace from her good friend Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith and hugs from other competitors.
Fraser-Pryce draws the curtain on one of the most accomplished careers in track athletics. Her career medal haul at the global championships includes 10 gold, five silver, and one bronze medal from nine editions. She boasts an unprecedented five 100m titles – 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022. At the Moscow 2023 World Athletics Championships, she became the first woman to complete the individual 100m and 200m sprint double and win the 4x100m relay.
Fraser-Pryce has an equally impressive record at the Olympics with eight medals in total, including back-to-back 100m title victories in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
“One of my greatest blessings is seeing athletes who are inspired by me across generations.
“It has been a blessing to interact with those athletes, and I hope that there is something they can take from this journey,” Fraser-Pryce said.
“It doesn’t matter how it looks. You have the final say, stand at the line, trust your talent and go out there giving it your all.
The Jamaican icon will have a final shot at winning a medal at the championship as a member of the women’s 4x100m relay squad.
AloJapan.com