Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was absent from the women’s 100m semi-final on Sunday morning AEST, withdrawing from the marquee event at the eleventh hour.
The 37-year-old was hoping to claim a medal in the 100m dash for a fifth consecutive Games, having placed in the top three at every Olympic race since Beijing 2008.
However, fans were left scratching their head when Fraser-Pryce’s lane was empty for the second semi-final at Paris’ Stade de France, with the three-time Olympic gold medallist withdrawing from competition minutes before the race.
The Jamaican athletics federation informed World Athletics that Fraser-Pryce had suffered an injury.
“That’s pretty surprising to me. I don’t know what happened,” Jamaican teammate Tia Clayton responded when asked about Fraser-Pryce’s absence.
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About two hours before the event, footage circulated social media of security officials denying Fraser-Pryce and compatriot American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson entry to the warm-up track.
According to reports, both athletes were informed they needed to find another way into the venue after arriving in private vehicles rather than the team shuttle.
“She said they changed the rule yesterday,” Fraser-Pryce said in the video where she’s seen arguing with security staff.
“How you going to change the rule and then not say? So you’re asking all the athletes who, for whatever reason, don’t stay in the (athlete) village, they can’t come through the gate? We came through this gate yesterday and went through security and it was OK. They want us to go all the way up to where everybody is exiting … that’s crazy!”
Channel 9 commentator Gerard Whateley said: “There has been a rule change in the warm-up area and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has fallen on the wrong side of it. She has been denied entry.
“So, rather than withdrawing, she has (been) withdrawn, and it seems as though there is video evidence of her pleading her case to get in.
“This is a disaster for Paris if that turns out to be the case.
“If there is something that’s changed between yesterday and today ahead of the semi-finals and the greatest ever female sprinter has been denied access to the stadium to compete in a semi-final — that’s right up there with the Seine being unfit to swim in.
“It’s sketchy for the moment.”
Richardson later claimed silver in the women’s 100m final, registering a time of 10.87s as Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred won gold at 10.72s.
Fraser-Pryce, who announced she would retire after the Paris Olympics, is scheduled to competed in the women’s 4x100m relay on Wednesday.
Source Agencies
