CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Tuesday, July 27, 2021 | 19 SPORTS OLYMPICS Fraser-Pryce bids for sprinting immortality Jamaican “Pocket Rocket” Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce is juggling being the fastest woman alive with moth- erhood as she bids for a third 100m Olympic gold — 13 years after her first triumph. The 34-year-old, who stands just 1.52 meters tall, is set for a mouth- watering clash in Tokyo with com- patriot Elaine Thompson-Herah and Britain’s 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith. US sprint star Sha’Carri Richard- son was ruled out of the 100m in Japan after testing positive for mari- juana at the US Olympic trials. Fraser-Pryce won the first of her two Olympic 100m titles at the 2008 Beijing Games, becoming the first Jamaican to win the event after pre- vious generations of sprinters including Merlene Ottey and Juliet Cuthbert came up short. She won her first world champi- onship title in 2009 before her career was disrupted by a six-month ban the following year after she test- ed positive for banned substance oxycodone, which she said was med- ication for a toothache. Fraser-Pryce retained her 100m Olympic crown at London 2012, but failed in her hat-trick bid at Rio 2016, taking bronze behind Thomp- From left: Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, US sprinter Noah Lyles, and recent 400m hurdles world-record setter Karsten Warholm of Norway are among a number son-Herah. of rising stars hoping to light up the track-and-field program at the Tokyo Olympics. TT NEWS AGENCY VIA REUTERS She subsequently took time out to have a baby but returned in style to win a fourth 100m world title in 2019, also taking gold in the 4x100m relay, which was her ninth world championship gold. The Jamaican veteran arrives in Tokyo in fine form after running a Race on to fill Bolt’s shoes personal best of 10.63 seconds in “super spikes” in June to become the Group of young guns hoping to grab limelight in Tokyo as Olympics begins life without Usain second-fastest woman of all time behind late US sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, who timed 10.49 sec. sain Bolt may have hung some of Bolt’s mantle. tin Gatlin in 2004 — and for once, produce records as they tend to be “10.6 has been a dream, a goal,” up his running shoes in Adding to the excitement, advan- there is no serious Jamaican threat. more tactical. she said. “I’ve been working so hard, 2017, but the Tokyo ces in spike technology have ush- In contrast in the women’s event, But the technological advances in been so patient and to see it finally Olympics is the first ered in a slew of middle- and long- In a dream world I Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is bidding running shoes means no record is unfold, I’m just ecstatic.” UGames in 17 years not to feature the distance specialists set on hunting to win gold for Jamaica for the safe at the moment, at least not in Tokyo will be Fraser-Pryce’s first would like to go and incomparable Jamaican sprint world records whenever they take third time. the presence of the likes of Dutch- Olympics as a mother — she gave superstar. to the track. break the world Lyles is focusing on the 200m, woman Sifan Hassan, who will birth to her son Zyon in 2017 — and In his absence, a raft of up-and- record and do although he will face stiff competi- attempt an unprecedented treble of says it has helped her put her life in coming track-and-field athletes, Record chasers tion from compatriot Erriyon 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m. perspective. headlined by Swedish pole vaulter Duplantis has taken the men’s something very Knighton, whose 19.88 sec in May Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei “It doesn’t matter what happens Armand Duplantis, US sprinter pole vault into another strato- legendary at the at the age of just 17 broke two world should be the man to beat as he on the field, my biggest accomplish- Noah Lyles, and recent 400m hur- sphere by setting not only a world 200m age-group bests previously tries a 5,000m/10,000m double. ment will always be my son and dles world-record setters Karsten record of 6.18 meters indoors last Games. But it’s my held by Bolt. Just 18 gold medalists from the being able to come back to competi- Warholm and Sydney McLaughlin, year, but also vaulting 6.15m out- first Games, I just Warholm’s 20-year-old Norway 43 individual track-and-field tion after having my son is also a big arrive in Japan looking to build doors to finally improve by a centi- teammate Jakob Ingebrigtsen is events contested at the Rio Olym- accomplishment,” she told the BBC. their own legacies. meter Sergey Bubka’s previous best want to win, that’s the now a genuine rival to the strong pics five years ago will be in Tokyo. “And giving other female athletes While a 20-year-old Bolt was a set in 1994. only thing on my East African contingent with his The likes of world 800m champi- hope of whatever it is you want to do bit-part player at the 2004 Athens “Winning is the only goal really,” fast finish after setting European on Donavan Brazier of the USA and in life, you do not allow anybody to Olympics, eliminated in the first the 21-year-old said when asked mind.” records at 1,500m and 5,000m and Olympic 110m hurdles champion dictate what you do and when you round of the 200m, he went on to whether more records were the tar- Armand Duplantis, collecting continental titles. Omar McLeod of Jamaica missed stop. You can keep going.” win eight golds spanning the 2008, get in Tokyo. Swedish pole vaulter “My goal is long term, I want to out on selection, while other stars, Fraser-Pryce grew up in a 2012 and 2016 Games. “In a dream world I would like to be able to win gold in major cham- such as world and Olympic triple deprived area of Jamaica’s capital There is no doubt that the sport go and break the world record and pionships,” he said. jump champion Christian Taylor, Kingston that is plagued by gang has struggled to fill his sizable do something very legendary at the records in the run-in to Tokyo. “Last season was not about win- are sidelined with injury. violence, and has often spoken shoes. Games. But it’s my first Games, I Both have close rivals breathing ning but about running fast. This The US team boasts 35-year-old about how she did not always have So it is a shame that the 10 days of just want to win, that’s the only down their necks in the shape of year is the other way around for veteran Allyson Felix, who will enough to eat. athletics starting in Tokyo on Fri- thing on my mind.” American duo Rai Benjamin and Tokyo. I need to make sure I will be become the most decorated female The sprinter has a degree in child day will take place without specta- The 400m hurdles is set to be one reigning world and Olympic cham- at my best in Tokyo.” track-and-field athlete in the histo- and adolescent development and is tors due to COVID-19 of the standout track events for pion Dalilah Muhammad. ry of the Games should she add to passionate about improving chil- countermeasures, because they both men and women, after Nor- Trayvon Bromell is bidding to Technology boost her nine-medal haul. dren’s lives. feature a group of young stars more way’s Warholm and American become the first US sprinter to win Middle- and long-distance races than capable of taking up at least McLaughlin both posted new world the Olympic men’s 100m since Jus- at global championships rarely AFP AFP Chusovitina, 46, brings curtain down on legendary career By CHINA DAILY her that I was not doing it in vain, competing in Tokyo. “Maybe I’ll skip Paris (2024 and I think I eventually succeeded On her first jump, her right foot Games), and go to Los Angeles Veteran Oksana Chusovitina in that,” Chusovitina once said of her stepped out of bounds on dismount, (2028 Games) for the applause,” she called time on her legendary career childhood. scoring 14.500 points. With another joked. on Sunday night after competing at She made her Olympic debut at error in her landing, she received In a sport renowned for its youth- a record eighth Olympic Games. the 1992 Barcelona Games as part of 13.833 points for her second jump. ful champions, Chusovitina has After failing to secure a spot in the gold medal-winning Unified When her final score of 14.166 and a become a global fan favorite thanks Sunday’s vault final, the 46-year-old, team, comprised of athletes from ranking of 11th was displayed on the to her longevity. She was inducted representing Uzbekistan, waved to former Soviet states. screen, Chusovitina buried her into the International Gymnastics the small crowd inside Tokyo’s Ari- She then represented Uzbekistan, petite body in her coach’s broad Hall of Fame in 2017, and last year ake Gymnastics Center, made a before being granted German citi- arms as she was overcome with was named the Best Athlete of the heart shape with her hands and zenship in 2006.