Why Jamaica's sprint sensation Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce is not hanging her spikes anytime soon

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ATHLETICS Why Jamaica's sprint sensation Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce is not hanging her spikes anytime soon

Abigael Wafula 14:00 - 26.07.2023

The 36-year-old revealed that she still has a point to prove despite being one of the most decorated female sprinters the world has ever witnessed.

Five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce has disclosed that she is still hungry for more despite having achieved most of the things an athlete would want in their career.

On top of being a five-time world 100m champion, the 36-year-old is a three-time Olympic champion, four-time Olympic silver medallist, five-time Diamond League Final winner, and Commonwealth Games champion among her many other accolades.

I used to refrain from stating clearly what I want and I believe I can run faster – that’s really what has kept me here. I believe that with every fiber of my being," she said, as per Athletics Weekly. 

"To be able to run 10.6 consistently last year definitely means that there’s a drop to come. When it comes, I don’t know but that’s what I’m working towards.

"I’m always excited about something new, something undiscovered. I’m also growing my own mind. I wake up every morning and I go to practice and I’m like, “Man, I’m still doing this”. I still feel good, I still feel hungry.”

Despite this year starting off on a bad note for her, Fraser-Pryce is looking forward to defending her world title at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She was set back by a series of injuries that saw her open her track season in July.

She participated in the 200m at the Jamaican Championships where she finished second before winning two of her successive 100m races. She started with a win at the Spitzen Leichathletik in Luzern and two days later, won the 100m at the meeting in Madrid.

She added that she is still learning techniques of the job despite being in the game for a long time.

I don’t think I have the best technique. I really have to work hard to cement it. It’s something that I have to go to the line and actively process in my head to say ‘This is what we’re doing, this is what we’re doing Shelly’ so I’m still learning to do that," she added.

"I’m still learning technically, how to run the 100m, and every September or October when I go back to practice, it’s like I go with a clean slate. There’s nothing written on the board.

"I draw from experiences sure from the memory box, but at the same time I’m going there brand new as if I’ve never learned anything before."