34 is the new 24 in women’s 100m sprinting. Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce became the second-fastest woman ever with a magnificent 10.63 at a meet in Kingston on Saturday, at 34-years-of-age.
Fraser-Pryce’s 10.63 is the fourth-fastest time ever recorded, and the fastest any woman has run the 100m since Flo-Jo ran the three fastest times ever in 1988 (10.49, 10.61 and 10.62).
“I’m lost for words because 10.6 has been a dream, a goal, I’ve been working so hard, being so patient to see it finally unfold. I’m so ecstatic. If I’m able to run 10.6 now … I’m just looking forward to what the process will bring. I’m continuing the work because I did say that this year I wanted nothing more than to break the 10.7 barrier and I did it.”
Fraser-Pryce is now surely the Olympic favourite. Going into the race, the Olympic favourite was loosely touted to be the 21-year-old American Sha’Carri Richardson, who clocked 10.72 earlier this year. Thompson Herah ranks third in the world this year having run 10.78. Asher-Smith ran 11.35 to beat Fraser-Pryce in Gateshead but it was into a -3.1m/s headwind and driving rain. The 25-year-old Briton also insists she is now in far better shape than when finishing second at the 2019 world championships behind Fraser- Pryce.
Ends. Copyright Runner’s Tribe 2021.
Behold this 10.63 (1.6) PR BOMB from World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
She’s now second fastest of all time behind only Flo-Jo. Let the games begin! pic.twitter.com/U4UcyKngrS— Ato Boldon (@AtoBoldon) June 5, 2021
