Jamaica’s sprint dominance continued on Sunday with race favorite Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce capturing the women’s 100-meter world title.
The ‘Pocket Rocket,’ Fraser-Pryce, is now the first three-time world champion in the women’s 100 meters, thanks to her exciting win at the International Amateur Athletics Federation World Championships in Beijing, China.
Fraser-Pryce beat out the Netherland’s Dafne Schippers, who placed second, and the United States’ Tori Bowie, who came third.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist’s winning time of 10.76 seconds comes a day after fellow Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s victory in the men’s 100m race.
“We are delighted to celebrate with the ‘Pocket Rocket,’ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, on her emphatic win in the 100-meter at the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing,” said Wykeham McNeill, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Entertainment. “Shelly-Ann is in a class by herself, clinching her third individual World Championship win by retaining her 100m title. Jamaicans at home and abroad are beaming with pride today”
Jamaica’s Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook was also high in praise for Fraser-Pryce.
“Shelly-Ann has had a remarkable career, and her win in the 100-meter concretizes her dominance on the track,” he said. “She has worked hard this year, and we are excited to celebrate her golden run.”
McNeill and Pennicook also had high praises for sprint king Usain Bolt, who had a challenging year in preparing for the World Championships.
They said the pride of Jamaica was once again on display for the entire world, as Bolt, the two-time Olympic gold medalist, edged Gatlin, in the finals on Sunday.
In 9.79 seconds, the Jamaican sensation narrowly beat Gatlin by 0.01 seconds in the long-awaited match up of the sport’s top two athletes. The victory snaps Gatlin’s two-year, 28 race win streak.
“We are extremely elated to congratulate our native son, Usain Bolt, on his 9.79 clocking to win the world 100-meter title in Beijing,” McNeill said. “Being touted as perhaps his greatest miracle of all, he beat American, Justin Gatlin, to retain his world 100-meter title, and as he said he would, he brought it home!
The victory placed him on level with Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene, both of whom have won three 100-meter world titles.
“Jamaicans everywhere are proud today,” he added.
Inside the same stadium where he romped home to victory in 2008, winning two Olympic gold medals and setting two world records, Bolt rose to the occasion silencing many of his critics who doubted his form ahead of the Championships, the Jamaica Tourist Board said.
“It’s a great win for the undisputed sprint king, and we are happy that he was able to put his early season struggles behind him to snatch victory,” Pennicook said. “Bolt has represented Jamaica with great distinction, and we are proud to share in his successes.”
“This is Usain Bolt’s best race ever” said American sprint legend and BBC commentator Michael Johnson after the race. “When it comes to Bolt, that’s a familiar refrain. Seven years after shocking the world at the Beijing Olympics, the best could still be ahead of him.”
