TRIUMPH IN TOKYO 2025
Jamaica continued its dominance of female sprinting with an amazing 1-2-3 finish in the 100m at the Oregon World Athletics Championships in 2022. From left to right: Elaine Thompson-Herah (bronze), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (gold) and Shericka Jackson (silver). The trio would team up with Kemba Nelson to take silver in the 4x100m final.
head and torso. Whereas before, she could be caught in the last 20 30 metres of a race, as the USA’s Carmelita Jeter did to her in the World final in 2011, she was now heading off late challenges, decelerating more slowly and finishing strongest. Yes, the kid from 2008 had been fast, but the 2022 vintage of Shelly Ann was now even faster, steadier and very hard to beat. If all those Olympic medals, world championships and Diamond crowns had placed her in the conversation about the greatest female sprinter ever, then her near mythic 2022 season removed all doubt. All hail the queen.
HOW DID SHE DO IT? They say that female athletes are often stronger and faster following childbirth, but the saying is only anecdotal, not final scientific proof. Women have indeed done it, but the list of these super women is short: Evelyn Ashford, for example, went back to the track and regained her top world ranking; Allyson Felix returned to set a personal best in the 400 metres. It’s more likely that Shelly Ann’s 2020 coaching change and new training regimen were the main determinants of her new found fire after her son was born. Nike’s new “superspikes”, with their carbon fiber plate and special midsole construction didn’t hurt, either. Suddenly, everyone seemed faster. Regardless, though her rocket start and explosive cycle speed remained intact in 2022, it was also her systematized running mechanics and improved final phase that was cutting as much as 1/10 of a second off her times. She added more endurance training – leading her to erase her long standing 200m best of 22.09 with a crisp 21.79 – and more relaxed form, maintaining top speed with a steadier
SAFP PERFORMANCES – 2022
DATE 08 SEP 2022 02 SEP 2022 10 AUG 2022 08 AUG 2022 06 AUG 2022 17 JULY 2022 23 JUN 2022 18 JUN 2022 07 MAY 2022
PLACE SWITZERLAND
EVENT 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres 100 Metres
WIND READING -0.8 +0.6 +0.4 +1.3
TIME 10.65 10.74 10.62 10.67 10.66 10.67 10.70 10.67 10.67
BELGIUM MONACO HUNGARY POLAND USA JAMAICA FRANCE KENYA
+0.5 +0.8 +1.1 +0.5 -0.4
15
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