Two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce clocked the world’s fastest women’s 100m in nearly 33 years on Saturday and re-established herself as the favorite for a third gold in Tokyo.
Fraser-Pryce, the Jamaican who won the 2019 World title coming back from childbirth, clocked 10.63 seconds at a meet in Kingston.
That’s the fourth-best time in history. Only Florence Griffith Joyner went faster -- 10.49, 10.61 and 10.62, all in 1988.
“I’m at a loss for words because 10.6 has been a dream, a goal,” Fraser-Pryce said.
She bettered the national record of 10.70 that she shared with 2016 Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Now 34, Fraser-Pryce bids this summer to become the first woman to win one individual Olympic track and field event three times, plus the oldest woman to win an individual Olympic sprint title.
Going into Saturday, the Olympic favorite appeared to be 21-year-old American Sha’Carri Richardson, who clocked 10.72, 10.74 and 10.77 so far this spring.
Thompson-Herah ranks third in the world this year with a 10.78. Fraser-Pryce trailed both of them coming into Saturday with a 10.84 from last week.
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Behold this 10.63 (1.6) PR BOMB from World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
— Ato Boldon (@AtoBoldon) June 5, 2021
She’s now second fastest of all time behind only Flo-Jo. Let the games begin! pic.twitter.com/U4UcyKngrS
