The mystery of the missing sprinting legend Fraser-Pryce is solved.
Sprint Queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was set to cap off her illustrious career with a medal at her fifth Olympic Games on Saturday evening, but it was not meant to be. Instead, confusion reigned, which was only resolved later.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a legend in athletics. The Jamaican had won medals at four consecutive Olympic Games since 2008, and at 37, she was aiming for more in Paris. But suddenly, Fraser-Pryce was nowhere to be seen: her starting block on lane 5 in the 100m semi-final was empty, and her competitors were bewildered. The letters "DNS" - "Did Not Start" - flashed on the scoreboard just moments before she was due to face off against Sha'Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred in the second semi-final of the evening. An explanation was slow to come. World Athletics suspected an injury had caused Fraser-Pryce's withdrawal.
But another story was circulating, based on videos doing the rounds on social media. The veteran and three-time Olympic champion was reportedly denied entry at a stadium gate before the race, engaging in a heated discussion. "I saw her not being let into the stadium as she stood by the fence. I've never seen anything like it," reported German sprinter Gina Lückenkemper, who narrowly missed the final herself.
Even rival Sha'Carri Richardson was seen in the clips. Both were set to compete in the semi-final. In one video, Fraser-Pryce was shown saying, "They changed the rules. We came through this gate before, but now they're saying athletes who have already gone can't use this gate." Several online media outlets had already reported that Fraser-Pryce had simply not made it to the competition venue in time to start.
But the truth is simple and bitter - and has nothing to do with security personnel: "Mrs. Fraser-Pryce was allowed to enter the warm-up track, but from a different gate, where she was instructed to enter," said Jamaica's team manager Ian Kelly in a conversation with Reuters. "It's not true that she was not allowed to enter the stadium. Unfortunately, she was unable to compete due to an injury she sustained during her final warm-up."
In a post on social media early Sunday morning, Fraser-Pryce thanked her supporters but did not elaborate on her injury. "It's hard to find words to describe the depth of my disappointment," she wrote. "I know my supporters share this disappointment and carry it with me. I am truly blessed to have had the unwavering support of my fans since my Olympic debut in 2008. You've been there for me every step of the way and in every victory." Fraser-Pryce will retire from her illustrious career after the Olympics.
Julien Alfred (St. Lucia) secured the 100m victory. For the first time since 1986, Jamaican women left the Olympics empty-handed.
Despite the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris being several years away, the incident surrounding Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of sports. The controversial exit of the Jamaican athlete from the 100m semi-final at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo intensified the anticipation and curiosity about her potential participation in the Olympic Games 2024.
