SHELLY ANN FRASER EMERGES FROM THE DARK
It was very pleasantly surprising to see Shelly Ann Fraser pull out a fantastic win over a very strong field in New York this past weekend. 10.92 and a pretty well executed race caused her to leave Kelli Ann Baptiste, Carmelita Jeter, Alyson Felix and Tiana Madison in the dust. It would have been a good confidence booster for the diminutive young woman who is on the verge of graduation from the University of Technology.
Her graduation could not have come sooner as the past four years have been very challenging for the 2008 Olympic champion, the 2009 World Champion and the fastest Jamaican woman ever.
After two very successful years in 2008 and 2009, the next two proved to be extraordinarily challenging for Fraser, who between training, school and being a UNICEF Ambassador still found time to get married. Well, in hindsight she would have found time considering she was banned for six months for an unfortunate doping incident involving the painkiller Oxycodone.
Also during the past two years she has had to contend with injuries to her back and leg that slowed her considerably. She came face to face with that reality last August in Daegu when in attempting to defend her world title could only manage fourth place in the women’s 100 metre final behind Carmelita Jeter, Veronica Campbell Brown and Baptiste. 2012 though has offer SAFP a chance at redemption.
She told me a few months ago that her injuries for the most part are behind her and with school winding down, she can focus on getting back to her very best, hopefully in time to defend her Olympic title. As it now stands, that 10.92 makes her the fastest Jamaican woman in the world this year just ahead of Veronica Campbell Brown’s 10.94. These two women represent Jamaica’s best hopes at a female sprint medal in London as the other two women who impressed four years ago – Sherone Simpson and to a lesser extent Kerron Stewart – are for the time being nowhere close to their best. This has significant implications for Jamaica’s female sprint relay hopes in London this summer.
However, for Fraser Pryce a relay medal is kind of insignificant right now as she tries to regain her 10.73 speed that made her the darling of the world four short years ago. Earlier this season she would have had many Jamaicans, including yours truly, concerned. Yes, she opened up with 11-flat her fastest opener ever, but something was missing. She didn’t look sharp, her cadence was a bit off and she seemed to lack that power she had when she was setting records at the biggest games in her sport.
On Saturday, all those missing pieces seemed to find their way back to her racing. She got a bullet start, transitioned smoothly into her acceleration and left the field eating her dust. Yes, I know that Jeter may not have been 100 per cent and Baptiste may just have had a bad day, but with three weeks to go to the National Championships and just under two months to the Olympics, SAFP seemed to have found the right gear at just the right time.
At last it seems that the pocket rocket has returned. There are many Jamaicans out there who will start sleeping better as the Olympic Games loom ever nearer.
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18 Responses to “SHELLY ANN FRASER EMERGES FROM THE DARK”
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My favourite Sprinter of all time. She does not have to win another race for me. But, I will be rooting for her come Olympics, London. Go Shelly!
Great race Shelly, but i am little worried still i dont want you to become just 100m sprinter i think if continue to run the 200m you will unbeatable in both these field . I love the race it was well ran the start was great but what impress me was your transition and your top end speed you showed was great.
I was at the Adidas track meet on Saturday and you were awesome. I know you surprised the Americans who thought they had this on their home soil. Your win made us proud to be Jamaicans. I wish you continued success, just stay humble, keep your focus, keep working hard and don’t let anything or anyone take you off course. Met your mother at the meet by accident while enjoying the after concert and she was just so proud of you.
God Bless and One Luv!!!
That my girl..a lot of people write her off,,but what they must remember that Shelly-ann have been injury and so happy to see that she is coming back into form..all she need to do is stay healthy,keep working hard and focus..no one expect her to win that race,,her name didn’t mention by the bias commentary until after she won the race,,Feliz is not a 100m running and her name mention throughout the whole race..gosh!
That was so great Shelly Ann, keep up the good work. May God bless u, lots of luv…..
Shelly Ann…. Work hard and defend your title at the London Olympics….Only 2 women (both are American) have won back to back gold medal in the 100M at the Summer Olympic Games…Wyomia Tyus (64 & 68) and the great Gail Devers (92 & 96)… I would love to see you join that group.
Enough said Shelly 110% love all the time. Our prayers are with you,
I don’t know what the fuss is about she was not well known either when she sprung out of nowhere. Why should we worry now if she does those those times, better now than at the Olympics. What they do on the circuit does not translate to the big meets. She will be a success and so will the other girls. I have faith in them plus prayers are going up for the whole team.
Actually, that’s neither the fastest nor second fastest time in the world this year. That distinction belongs to Carmelita Jeter. Ironically, that performance was done possibly in the presence of the author of this article in Kingston, Jamaica just a month ago.
“fastest Jamaican woman”. Last time I checked Jeter was still from California in the USA.
Veronica Campbell brown is the best bet especially now she working on the start …. Once ahead no woman can run her down but that is if she decide to double up or just seek to be the greatest 200m woman ever when she aims to defend her 200m for a third time
Veronica champbell is my favorite but shelly is back. But i would love for the two jamaican VCB and shelly to get first and two @ the olympic games this summer
Man of God, the only problem with having everyone run the 100 and the 200 is that there is no time during the meet for 4×100 practice. Our teams don’t practice that much anyway. So I’m not too keen for SAFP to run the deuce.
She was a close fourth, in lane 1, in the 2008 Trials, and might grant your wish by being in the top 3 this time.
while the jamaican men and women sprinters are at their best i hate to say this but the trinidadians are coming and they are coming fast…at yesterday meet in POS there was some fast times posted by bledman, baptiste and thompson….i predict the sprints in london is going to be dominated by jamaica, the americans and the trinidadians…and it will be the same for the relay….the jamaican 4×100 relay women team should begin to worry since the trinidadian women realy team is at their pear right now
Great !! Wishing you the best, Shelley !!
Shelly will be ready again in London, and we may see the world record finally erased by a drug free Jamaican
Good job Shell, all the best at the games
stay healthy and God bless
Shelly Ann good job!! remember…400m builds the best sprinters…at least train hard over the 400m.Then you will be holding them off as strong as or better than VCB does.