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Fraser: Flo-Jo's record attainable
By Howard Walker Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Jamaican Olympic 100 metres champion, Shelly Ann Fraser, thinks Florence Griffiths-Joyner's 20-year-old world record off 10.49 seconds is attainable.
"I am willing to take up any challenge any time and I am ready for the battle. This is my second year under coach Steven Francis and it has been great. Hopefully, you will see more faster times from me. Anything can happen," said Fraser, who ran the fastest time in 20 years of 10.78 seconds in Beijing.
Beijing Olympics gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser waves to supporters on arrival in Kingston on Monday. Fraser is the first Jamaican woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres sprint, with a personal best of 10.78 seconds. (Photo: AP)
Fraser, along with fellow Olympians Aleen Bailey, Olivia McCoy and Herbert McGregor, was honoured by the Kiwanis Club of Kingston at Hilton Kingston Hotel yesterday.
The 21-year-old, who stunned the world in capturing the 100m gold medal, admitted she was very unhappy when pundits suggested she should have given way to fourth-placed Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 100m for the Olympics after finishing second at the National Trials.
Said Fraser: "Honestly, it affected me a bit because I was saying, 'what's the sense of a trial'. It was a competition and I was upset with the fact that most people wanted me out because they think that I was inexperienced and I would have more chances at other Olympics.
"But that made me more focussed and determined to actually go out there and do good. I decided to show those guys that I can run and I can go much faster because I was working on my techniques," said ther pint-sized speedster.
In Beijing, the former Wolmer's star who left the field for dead and won the dash by two-tenths of a second, said she had to constrain herself from celebrating too early, as Usain Bolt did.
"When I looked at the line and saw how close it was I didn't want to celebrate too early. I was like, 'just wait a couple more metres and I am there'," she said as she gleefully reminisced.
The pocket rocket jumped, pranced and her genuine laughter was a joy to behold for Jamaicans. "It just came, I don't know where it came from; it just came," she said.
If Fraser is to attain that 100 metres world record, Jamaican officials will have their hands even more full defending athletes from drug accusations worldwide.
Don Anderson, the Kiwanis guest speaker and Jamaica's Chef de Mission to the Beijing Games, constantly has to face questions about Jamaica's
drug-testing programme in light of the athletes' outstanding performances.
"I have no doubt about our testing procedures. We have conducted over 100 random tests in competition, out of competition since last year November.
"None of the world records that have been set by Powell or Bolt have been done on Jamaican soil, so anywhere they run they have been tested," Anderson declared.
"The fact of the matter is that we took the decision that as a big country in the small region of the Caribbean not to go the route of RADA, the regional drug testing body.
"We believe that with respect to the rest of the region... we wanted to set up our own lab and that took a little time... but that did not prevent all the testing...," said Anderson.
Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago athletics icon, Hasley Crawford who is in the island attending the UNESCO Sports Conference was invited to the function by Anderson.
"I have to congratulate Jamaica, especially Mr Bolt for his tremendous achievement. The reason... I am in Jamaica is because something is happening in Jamaica and I want to find out," said Crawford, who beat Jamaican Donald Quarrie in the 100m final at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
"We have the Minister of Sport, the General Secretary of the Olympic association and we are here to find out exactly what you are doing here.
"We can guarantee you that we might not beat you next time, but we are certainly going to close the gap," said Crawford as the Kiwanians burst into laughter.
By Howard Walker Observer staff reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Jamaican Olympic 100 metres champion, Shelly Ann Fraser, thinks Florence Griffiths-Joyner's 20-year-old world record off 10.49 seconds is attainable.
"I am willing to take up any challenge any time and I am ready for the battle. This is my second year under coach Steven Francis and it has been great. Hopefully, you will see more faster times from me. Anything can happen," said Fraser, who ran the fastest time in 20 years of 10.78 seconds in Beijing.
Beijing Olympics gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser waves to supporters on arrival in Kingston on Monday. Fraser is the first Jamaican woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100 metres sprint, with a personal best of 10.78 seconds. (Photo: AP) Fraser, along with fellow Olympians Aleen Bailey, Olivia McCoy and Herbert McGregor, was honoured by the Kiwanis Club of Kingston at Hilton Kingston Hotel yesterday.
The 21-year-old, who stunned the world in capturing the 100m gold medal, admitted she was very unhappy when pundits suggested she should have given way to fourth-placed Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 100m for the Olympics after finishing second at the National Trials.
Said Fraser: "Honestly, it affected me a bit because I was saying, 'what's the sense of a trial'. It was a competition and I was upset with the fact that most people wanted me out because they think that I was inexperienced and I would have more chances at other Olympics.
"But that made me more focussed and determined to actually go out there and do good. I decided to show those guys that I can run and I can go much faster because I was working on my techniques," said ther pint-sized speedster.
In Beijing, the former Wolmer's star who left the field for dead and won the dash by two-tenths of a second, said she had to constrain herself from celebrating too early, as Usain Bolt did.
"When I looked at the line and saw how close it was I didn't want to celebrate too early. I was like, 'just wait a couple more metres and I am there'," she said as she gleefully reminisced.
The pocket rocket jumped, pranced and her genuine laughter was a joy to behold for Jamaicans. "It just came, I don't know where it came from; it just came," she said.
If Fraser is to attain that 100 metres world record, Jamaican officials will have their hands even more full defending athletes from drug accusations worldwide.
Don Anderson, the Kiwanis guest speaker and Jamaica's Chef de Mission to the Beijing Games, constantly has to face questions about Jamaica's
drug-testing programme in light of the athletes' outstanding performances.
"I have no doubt about our testing procedures. We have conducted over 100 random tests in competition, out of competition since last year November.
"None of the world records that have been set by Powell or Bolt have been done on Jamaican soil, so anywhere they run they have been tested," Anderson declared.
"The fact of the matter is that we took the decision that as a big country in the small region of the Caribbean not to go the route of RADA, the regional drug testing body.
"We believe that with respect to the rest of the region... we wanted to set up our own lab and that took a little time... but that did not prevent all the testing...," said Anderson.
Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago athletics icon, Hasley Crawford who is in the island attending the UNESCO Sports Conference was invited to the function by Anderson.
"I have to congratulate Jamaica, especially Mr Bolt for his tremendous achievement. The reason... I am in Jamaica is because something is happening in Jamaica and I want to find out," said Crawford, who beat Jamaican Donald Quarrie in the 100m final at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
"We have the Minister of Sport, the General Secretary of the Olympic association and we are here to find out exactly what you are doing here.
"We can guarantee you that we might not beat you next time, but we are certainly going to close the gap," said Crawford as the Kiwanians burst into laughter.
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