12 Days to Trials, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Locks in Season Opener Despite Vying for Missing Gold From 16-Year-Old Olympic Career

The last time Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce appeared at the individual event in the competitive field, the track and field had no idea that the Jamaican legend reached the brink of her career end. It was a beautiful evening in sprawling Nemzeti Atletikai Kozpont in Budapest, where the 36-year-old athlete contributed to the 4x100m relay event in the women’s category to win the silver medal. Since then, her absence filled the track. But not anymore!

The 10-time world champion will appear in the JAAA French Foray #3 contests to cap off her last track and field season in her beautiful career. Her 100m open event in the women’s category will be on June 15. However, Shelly-Ann is eyeing greater glory in the coming days. 

Like her previous four Olympic appearances, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has entered the Jamaican Olympic trials for 100m and 200m individual events. Despite winning two Olympic gold medals in the 100m event, the legend has yet to replicate it in her 200m event.

In the meantime, she had to remain satisfied with her sole silver medal from the event in the London Olympics. Last time in Tokyo, she ended up in the fourth position in the event, falling to the tough competition. So, a comeback is surely going to play in Shelly-Ann’s mind at the 200m event. But the job will not go to be a cakewalk. 

In the Budapest World Athletics Championships 2023, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce did not show up in the 200m event. However, in July 2023, she tried a bit at the event in the Jamaican Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston. Despite shaving 0.13 seconds from her heat run, she had to face defeat in the final by Shericka Jackson. Another point that may cause worry for her fans is the current world-leading timings in the 200m this season. 

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s 22.26 seconds clocking from last season can not push her to the top three best timings at the 200m event this season. However, she had been keeping a tab on her improvement for this season. And that’s why she vouched to apply for several contests to keep no loose end in her Olympic preparation. However, things did not occur as the 3-time Olympic champion planned out. She had to stay out of the ground for the last 8 months. Yet again, she is moving toward fulfilling her final Olympic dream. 

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and her opt-out from a previous decision 

While announcing her upcoming retirement news, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce couldn’t stop herself from cherishing her Olympic appearance once again. Taking a moment from the serious announcement, she said, “I got Paris on my mind…..My 5th and final one for all time.” The message gave a feel of an iron-cast attitude and she has made it public again by her choice of events in the upcoming Olympic trials. 

Ever since the start of the last season, she had informed about her reluctance to continue with two individual events. “And it may possibly be it for me for real and I’ll just focus on the 100m. The double is very hard. It is strenuous. The workload that you need to do it is definitely hard,” she narrated. However, in her last Olympic season, Shelly-Ann is not going to keep her bucket list empty and the 200m Olympic gold is one of her prime choices. The upcoming days will decide if she succeeds or not.