Fraser-pryce wins second gold in 200-metre at worlds
MOSCOW — Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt still have three gold medals on their mind at the world championships.
Fraser-Pryce blasted out of the blocks, heard Olympic champion Allyson Felix scream and fall to the track behind her with a torn right hamstring, and held off Murielle Ahoure of Ivory Coast and Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria to take her second gold by winning the 200 metres.
Now, the 100 and 200 champion has the 4x100 relay to go to get her first triple at a major event. Bolt already has three of those and easily qualified for Saturday’s 200 final.
The big clash between Fraser-Pryce and the champion Felix never materialized. The American was slow out of the blocks and never made up ground before she started limping at high speed and falling to the track.
“I was definitely looking for the fact that she was behind me. I was a little nervous at the same time, because I know that she is a closer of course and she is very strong,” Fraser-Pryce said.
“I heard when she screamed out but I was really focused.” the Jamaican added. “I decided I was running that corner and I didn’t care who you were, if you were Usain Bolt behind me, I couldn’t care less. I was running like my life depended on it.”
As Fraser-Pryce celebrated another major win for Jamaica, Felix had her face contorted in pain. Minutes later, when the Jamaican started dancing to Bob Marley’s “One Love,” Felix was carried off the Luzhniki Stadium track in the arms of her brother Wes.
While Bolt and FraserPryce can still win more, Mo Farah of Britain finished another championship with a long-distance double.
The 5,000-10,000 gold medallist from the London Olympics again proved there is no match for his finish after a long race, kicking for home to win the 5,000 after a first gold on the opening day of the world championships.
Over an exhilarating last lap, Farah held off Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia and Isiah Koech to make him the defining long distance runner of his age.
“There’s not many athletes who have done that,” Farah said. “Only the great Kenenisa Bekele, who has achieved so many things, and to be able to achieve what he has achieved is just an honour.”
Bolt’s qualifying run in his favourite event was more complicated than it seemed at first.
After he won the 100 on Sunday, he dropped a starting block on his foot during practice and said it was still tender.
“I just dropped it on my foot. It wasn’t on purpose. It was just a mistake,” Bolt said. “I was in training, and I was moving it and dropped it on my foot.”
With only two assured qualification spots from his heat, the 100 champion switched into a higher gear at the end of his race when, unexpectedly, Anaso Jobodwana appeared on his left shoulder.
Bolt momentarily gritted his teeth but soon turned them into a grin as he held off the South African and took first place in his semifinal heat in 20.12 seconds.