Two-time Olympic 100 metres champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (second left), winning the women's Olympic Development 100 metres in 11 .47 seconds at the Queen's/Grace Jackson Invitational meet at the National Stadium Saturday, January 26. Two time Olympic 100-metre champion ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce displayed good early-season form to win the women's sprint event at the Queen's/Grace Jackson Invitational meet at the National Stadium on Saturday, January 26.
Jamaica also earned two silver medals, - Warren Weir in the men's 200 meters and the men's 4x400 meters relay. Nesta Carter won bronze in the 100, to round out Jamaica's total. Other Caribbean nations to reach the medal podium included Cuba, with a silver and two bronze for 23rd overall. Pedro Pablo Pichardo was second in the men's triple jump, while Yarelys Barrios and Yarisley Silva won bronze in the women's discus throw and pole vault, respectively.
[Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce] burst on to the scene as a fresh-faced youngster in 2008, winning the local national trials before going on to shock the nation and the crown by claiming the title at the Beijing Olympic Games. Fraser-Pryce clocked an impressive 10.78 seconds to lead a Jamaican sweep of the event finishing ahead of compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart.
Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had their names etched in history as the most decorated male and female athletes after they dominated the 14th World Athletics Championships 2013 held in Moscow between August 10 and 18. With two Olympiqf gold medals (2008 and 2012) already in her cabinet, Fraser-Pryce, also 26 years old, came to the championships ready to make a mark. Her pink dyed hair was an apt compliment to her pink nail polish and pink running shoes. Host country Russia topped the medal ranking with 17, including seven gold, while the USA snatched 25 medals, but only six gold medals. Jamaica also had six gold medals in its total tally of 9 medals.
World and Olympic champions Usain Bolt and ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica are among 42 global sporting giants nominated for prestigious Laureus Awards to be presented this month.
"We have to give God thanks for everything that we have accomplished and just look forward to 2012. We got a national record and I am really thankful to be a part of the team that did it. I'm grateful for my teammates and I think that with this team, we would definitely go far with more baton changes and we'll continue to give it our best shot," said [Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce]. Things didn't look too good for the Jamaicans in the semi-finals, which took place just over an hour prior to the final, as the baton exchanges between Fraser Pryce and [Kerron Stewart] on the first handover and Stewart and [Sherone Simpson] were terrible. But the latter believes that the experience of the girls helped to correct the problems in the short time that was available.
