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Fraser-Pyrce ready to depart, but not yet
August 21, 2023
BUDAPEST, Hungary:
Five-time World Championships women's 100 metres winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce knows she doesn't have much longer in her Hall-of-Fame career.
She is ready to leave the sport when the time comes, but the immediate focus will be on an unprecedented three consecutive titles after comfortably winning her first-round heat in 11.01 seconds at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.
The 36-year-old has had a less-than-ideal preparation period, having to push back the start of her season twice, the last one because of injury, which saw her compete in only two 100 metres races before the National Championships last month, both within two days of each other.
Fraser-Pryce said it was invaluable to finally see where she was at, needing to improve her signature start.
"It helped to show me that nothing beats the real thing. You can practise, but until you go in a race, when you actually simulate what you have been practising, you know where you are at; that should I need a little bit more work to get my starts together, and that is because I haven't able to do a lot of that," Fraser-Pryce said.
While knowing that the first round is usually a mixed bag, Fraser-Pryce felt that she started as well as she needed to go on, even able to describe her hair colour choice for this year, playfully mimicking the fires from her iconic nickname.
"The orange was just something that I liked, fire at the end of the rocket," Fraser-Pryce said.
Asked if she was afraid of stepping away from the sport after a decorated career, with next year's Olympics slated to be her swansong, Fraser-Pryce said she is prepared.
"I am not afraid of that when that time comes."
The semi-finals begin today at 1:35 p.m. Jamaica time.
