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He shook his fist and yelled. The gesture of a queen of speed: the Jamaican athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won her fifth world title in the 100 meters.
That gold is added to those he won in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2019 and his Olympic crowns in 2008 and 2012.
On Sunday, Fraser-Pryce stopped the clock at 10.67 seconds at the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene, USA, setting a new record (in championships).
She was followed by her compatriots Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
Fraser-Pryce, 35 years oldbecomes the first person to win five world titles in an individual track event at a world championship.
In addition, it is the first time that a nation has achieved an outright win in the women’s 100m in a world championship.
The same Jamaican trio accomplished the feat at last year’s Olympics in Tokyo (Thompson-Herah had won their second gold on that occasion).
Jamaica had already done it at the 2008 Games in Beijing.
“I won’t stop until I leavee to believe in that”
In all, Fraser-Pryce has 10 world championship titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.
Three of them he conquered following give birth to her son Zyonin 2017.
“I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do so at 35 years old, to have a baby, to move on and hopefully inspire women to go on their own journey,” she said.
“I can’t even imagine the number of times I’ve had setbacks and I’ve bounced back and I’m here once more.”
“I keep reminding myself that sometimes it’s not because you don’t have the ability, it’s regarding when the time is right. it was the right time And I’m very, very grateful for the continued support.”
“This is the third 1-2-3 (Jamaica’s top three finishes in the race) I’ve been a part of and I’m really excited. I was able to take the win.”
Fraser-Pryce had become the older woman in capturing a 100m world title in 2019, and holding on to that record for three years, and retaining it at the event in Eugene, shows no signs of letting up.
“It’s my favorite world title: to do it at 35, yes, I said 35,” Fraser-Pryce said.
“As long as I’m healthy I’m going to compete. I’m motivated and always hungry to do more. I always think I can run fasterI won’t stop until I stop believing in that.”
“He has lived in the shadow of Usain Bolt”
American Michael Johnson, a former 200m and 400m Olympic champion, praised Fraser-Pryce’s feat in a statement to BBC Sport.
“Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is amazing. The 100m is arguably the hardest event to repeat as champion, and she’s done it five times,” he said.
“His longevity (in elite athletics) is extremely impressive, considering he won his first world title in the 100m in 2009, and I think that has been underestimated many times. She has lived in the shadow of Usain Bolt.”
“They both won their first Olympic titles in the same year, 2008. He’s long since retired and she’s still going, had a kid, came back and runs even faster.”
“It’s a testament to his greatness – his longevity and consistency are amazing in an event that is very difficult.”
“The only thing missing from his resume is the world record. If he might break the world record, then you might argue he’s had an even better career than Bolt.”
The women’s 100m world record is still named following the American Florence Griffith-Joyner, who set it in 1988: 10.49 seconds.
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