Photo: Defending 100m Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Having missed out on a chance to compete at an indoor meet this season and with no finalized plans for her 2016, double Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser- Pryce is busy training, working hard and looking forward to what the season will bring.
Yardie Sports caught up the MVP sprinter at the launch of the 13th renewal of the JAAA Jamaica International Invitational World Challenge Meet (JIIM), scheduled for May 7, 2016.
“Well so far nothing is yet on the horizon. I have not competed in an individual event so far this year due to a minor setback. I wanted to do an indoor meet, but unfortunately I didn’t get the opportunity to do that. But so far I’ve been training, working out and just having fun at the same time.”
Responding to questions posed about what she is looking forward to this season, with the Rio OlympicGames just six month away Fraser-Pryce said,”It is an Olympic year and there is so much added stress that you don’t want but you just have to enjoy the moment. You just want to put in the work and leave it there. When that moment comes you have to go out and do what needs to be done and hope your work pays off.”
Speaking about her confirmed participation at this year’s staging of the Jamaica Invitational Fraser- Pryce explained that despite her preferred event still undecided, she is looking forward to once again performing at home.
“I am not sure as to which event I will be doing this year at the meet. Normally I would run the 200m, as I have been doing over the past four years. Based on the events that the IAAF asked for, that is not on the schedule for women. But I am still not sure, as the season progresses my coach will decide”.
She also implored fellow Jamaican athletes, especially the younger stars, to enjoy the Jamaican Product, that is the sporting greatness that we have here and one way to do that is to participate in meets like the Jamaica Invitational.
“I have been performing at the Jamaica Invitational for over four years and it has always given me a platform to have international competition here at home. You are a little more relaxed, your family and friends are here to support you. So I think it is a wonderful opportunity because I can tell you that some of the meets I go around the world don’t have the quality athletes you see come here to compete in Jamaica. It is good to be performing with super elite athletes and use it as a stepping stone to greater things.”
Shelly- Ann is amongst six elite confirmed athletes revealed by meet director Donald Quarrie. The other five athletes are fellow Jamaican athletes Elaine Thompson, Rusheen Mcdonald and Rasheed Dywer as well as Americans Candace McGrone and Mike Rogers.
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