There are no certainties in life, but we still have expectations as humans. Sometimes those expectations are multiplied by millions, especially when you have proven yourself before. On July 31, 2021, eight of the fastest women of the 29th summer Olympics lined up for the starter’s gun in one of the “highest quality fields ever assembled in men or women 100m races.” Three were Jamaicans, and barring a miracle or an accident, the world was sure one of them would win.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce came into the Olympic games as Jamaica’s national champion. On June 29, she brushed aside her compatriots Shericka Jackson (10.82) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.84) with a blistering 10.71 seconds. That time made her the 5th fastest woman in history, but that was not even her fastest. Just twenty days before, the 35-year-old mom shocked the world with a jaw-dropping 10.63 at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. That time gave her the title of “fastest woman alive” and the second-fastest in history behind Florence Griffith Joyner. The “Pocket Rocket” was dubbed the favorite for the 100m gold coming into the Olympics based on those performances.
Fraser-Pryce said after claiming her national title: “All my life, I have had doubters, persons who seem to want to determine when I need to stop or go, but I am glad I’m always so driven and focused on what I want to accomplish.”
The Tokyo showdown
She satisfied the world’s expectations, leading up to the finals in Tokyo. A comfortable 10.84s to win her first round and a better effort in the semi-finals to win at 10.73 seconds. At the end of the semi-finals, she was the fastest woman going into the final race, and very few doubts were left about whose neck would be wearing the Olympic gold medal.
As the announcement of the finalists took center stage, you could slice the nervousness emanating from the women, facing one of their most significant moments in sports and their careers. Fraser-Pryce was different, however. Confidence was bursting from her face as she got ready to secure a historic third gold medal, having won in Beijing and London. Even if she got bronze, that achievement would make her the most decorated woman in 100m history. But her third gold medal would undoubtedly look better on her chest.
Next to Shelly-Ann in lane 4 was the reigning Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, her compatriot and 4x100m teammate, and the person who along with American Tori Bowie, robbed her of a monumental hat-trick of gold at the Rio Olympics. Even though looking less nervous than the rest, you could feel the tension from Elaine.
“On your marks” came from the starter. Elaine went down and pulled both ends of her parted ponytail on either side of her face. Shelly-Ann affixed her fingers behind the line and went into a moment of deep concentration and flow-like meditation. She knew this was the most critical moment to deliver and was probably visualizing her journey to victory.
The gun went off, and Fraser-Pryce got a good start, but Elaine got an equally great one next to her. Seventy meters into the race, the defending champion Thompson-Herah was in front but not by much. By 80 meters, her name was being written on the gold, and she went on to get her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in 10.61 seconds, setting the new Olympic record. It needed something spectacular to win against the odds, and Thompson-Herah delivered.
While Elaine was overwhelmed with excitement and the grandeur of the victory, Shelly-Ann stood and then walked at the finish line with shock, sadness, and disappointment on her face. She wasn’t the only one. Millions around the world probably had their mouths wide open. The gold medal was supposed to be hers based on everything leading up to the finals. She did her best, but a superior performance when it mattered most slammed the door on her journey to history. Elaine turned the table on her.
Shelly was disappointed but grateful.
To say Shelly-Ann was disappointed is a massive understatement. But regardless of her mental and emotional status, the “Pocket Rocket” is grateful. In an interview with Caribbean National Weekly, she said: “Look at it this way. When you prepare in such a way that you know you are able to do greater things than you actually did, you feel a little disappointed because you did not do what you know you could have done. But given the circumstances, it’s a championship. Anything can happen. You are still grateful that you were able to stand on the podium. So the disappointment was short-lived because it could have been different. I am grateful that I am able to participate in four consecutive Olympic games.”
Fraser-Pryce became the most decorated 100m female athlete by winning the silver medal. She now has three gold, four silver, and one bronze over 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays.
Jamaica is the Greatest Country by Far in Sprinting
Asked about Jamaica’s future as the sprinting capital of the world, the second-fastest woman alive was just as quick with her response. “Jamaica is the greatest country by far when it comes to sprinting. An artist once said that ‘as one gone another one born.’ That is Jamaica. It doesn’t matter what it is. We will always have somebody coming up in the ranks. When the world worries about Shelly-Ann retiring soon, we have so many more coming behind us. It’s because of the work, commitment, and sacrifices we have been able to give to our sport and the legacy that we have. And they (young athletes) too will see the fruits of our labor, and they will want to enhance that legacy and to know that if Shelly-Ann can do it, then they too can do it.”
Anyone who knows Shelly-Anny knows her depth of gratitude to those who helped and contributed to her journey. She was generous in her praise for the past heroes of Jamaica’s legacy as a sprint factory. “A big, massive shoutout to Merlene Ottey, Veronica Campbell-Brown, and those ladies who set the trail and equipped us to know that whatever we set our minds to, we can achieve it,” she said.
