Fraser-Pryce produces second fastest 100 metres feat in history

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce produced the second-fastest female 100m sprinter in history with a sensational 10.63 (1.3m/s) run in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday (5).

Racing at the aptly-named JOA/JAAA Olympic Destiny Series meeting, Jamaica’s two-time Olympic and nine-time world gold medallist further proved her intention to add another title to that tally in Tokyo later this year. Powering out of the blocks, the 34-year-old made it look easy as she hit top speed and surged away from her rivals to run hard through the line before clapping and raising her arms in celebration.

The fastest time in almost 33 years, only Florence Griffith Joyner has ever gone quicker with her world record of 10.49 and runs of 10.61 and 10.62, also achieved in 1988.

“When the hard work finally pays off!” Fraser-Pryce wrote on social media after the race. “So much accomplished, yet so much more to go.”

Behind Fraser-Pryce was Natasha Morrison who finished second in 10.95.

The competition was Fraser-Pryce’s third this season and it followed the 10.84 she ran to win at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha as she works towards Tokyo, where she will aim for a third Olympic gold after her 100m wins in 2008 and 2012. Her incredible CV also includes four 100m titles as part of her world championships haul, with her most recent claimed in Doha in 2019 following the birth of her son Zyon in 2017, with Fraser-Pryce having gone into labour while watching the world 100m final that year.

The day before the race in Kingston, she had posted an update on social media which read: “‘Mommy’ is the best title I could have ever earned.”

Fraser-Pryce’s previous best had been 10.70 from 2012, a Jamaican record time which Elaine Thompson-Herah equalled in 2016.

Her performance at the Olympic Destiny Series meeting launches her to the top of the world rankings ahead of the USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson, who ran 10.72 in April, and Thompson-Herah, who clocked 10.78 at the start of May.

Also in Kingston, world champion Tajay Gayle jumped a wind-assisted 8.56m (2.5m/s) to win the long jump, while O’Dayne Richards won the shot put with a 19.49m throw.

Others to triumph included Janieve Russell in the 400m hurdles (54.88) and Stephenie Ann McPherson in the 400m (51.06).