Will Fraser-Pryce be involved in another medal sweep?

AT the Beijing Olympics in 2008 Jamaica’s women had their first sweep of medals at the global level when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the 100 metres gold while teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart finished in a dead heat for second to pocket silver medals.

Last year at the Tokyo Olympic Games there was another sweep for Jamaica in the same event. Defending champion Elaine Thompson Herah won ahead of Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

Fraser-Pryce could be involved in another medal sweep when the World Athletics Championships get under way in Eugene, Oregon, next week as she leads all competitors in the 100 metres with a season’s best 10.67 seconds. Teammates Jackson, 10.77, and Thompson Herah, 10.79, close out the top three. History beckons once again for the country’s top female sprinters

Fraser-Pryce will be seeking to defend her title. Thompson Herah, the double Olympic sprint champion, will be hoping to break her World Championships gold medal jinx while Jackson, a former training partner of the two, will want to show that she is ready to be on top of the podium.

If they carry their good form into the championships it will take something special from any other athlete to deny the Jamaicans. St Lucia’s Julien Alfred with 10.81 and the American duo, Aleia Hobbs and Melissa Jefferson, with 10.82 are next in the ranking.

A Jamaican 1-2-3 is on the cards once again but the order of finish is hard to call. Fraser Pryce will lead but the fast finishing Thompson Herah and Jackson could peg her back as all three are expected to make it to the final.

There could also be more history for the country here as Kemba Nelson, the other representative in the event, could make it a 1-2-3- 4 for Jamaica. Despite having only a season’s and personal best of 10.88 Nelson finished second to Jackson at the National Championships defeating Thompson Herah. She will be competing at home on a track where she represents the University of Oregon. Competing on what is her training track and with the expected good support from her local fans, she could produce something very special.