Jamaican sprinter clocks meet record 10.67 at age 35, leading first sweep in any event in country’s history at World Athletics Championships and becoming first nation to achieve feat in women’s 100; Fraser-Pryce also surpasses American Gatlin as oldest all-time track gold medalist in global final

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photos

Two nights removed from 36-year-old Allyson Felix, the most decorated female athlete in World Athletics Championships history, completing her last career race at a global final, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce reminded everyone in the sport Sunday that, at age 35, she isn’t going anywhere and neither is Jamaica in women’s sprinting.

Fraser-Pryce became the first female athlete to win five World gold medals in any event, clocking a wind-legal 10.67 seconds to set the meet record and lead Jamaica to a sweep in the 100-meter final, followed by Shericka Jackson securing silver in a personal-best 10.73 and two-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah earning bronze in 10.81 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

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“I can’t even imagine the amount of times I’ve had setbacks and I’ve bounced back and I’m here again,” Fraser-Pryce said. “I continue to remind myself that sometimes it’s not because you don’t have the ability, but it's the right time. Today was the right time and I’m so, so grateful for the continuous support.”

It marked the first time Jamaica has swept any event at the World Championships, along with the first time one country has secured the top three spots in the women’s 100-meter final, one night after the American men achieved their third all-time podium sweep in the event.

“This is the third 1-2-3 that I've been a part of and I’m so excited,” Fraser-Pryce said. “Today, I was able to come away with the win. I look forward to celebrating the PB and thanks to my teammates.”

Jamaica also swept the podium in the women’s 100 at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the Tokyo Games last summer, with Thompson-Herah defending her 2016 title from Rio de Janeiro in 10.61, followed by Fraser-Pryce in 10.74 and Jackson in 10.76.

“I’m grateful to be on the podium and to be part of 1-2-3. I’m going to have to watch the replay to see if I executed the way I can,” said Thompson-Herah, the only female athlete to win the 100 and 200 gold medals in consecutive Olympics.

“I’m happy to get my first 100 medal (at Worlds) and be on the podium for the first time. I’ve been working really hard even though I had some struggles during the season.”

But when it comes to World Championships, Fraser-Pryce demonstrated again that she is in a class all by herself in the 100, including fellow Jamaican legend Usain Bolt.

She produced the fastest time in championship history, eclipsing the 10.70 performance in 1999 of American Marion Jones.

Fraser-Pryce also surpassed another 100-meter gold medalist, Justin Gatlin from the U.S., as the oldest World champion in any track event in meet history at 35 years, 201 days. Gatlin was 35 years, 176 days when he triumphed in 2017 in London.

She also matched Gatlin with five career 100-meter medals at the World Championships, moving ahead of fellow female competitors Carmelita Jeter of the U.S. and Jamaican athlete Merlene Ottey.

Fraser-Pryce surpassed Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba with her sixth career individual title at the World Championships, including a 200 victory in 2013 in Moscow. Dibaba won a pair of 5,000 crowns and three 10,000 gold medals from 2003-13.

Only four male athletes have achieved at least six career individual World titles, including Bolt at seven, along with American sprinter Michael Johnson, Ukrainian pole vaulter Sergey Bubka and British distance runner Mo Farah all securing six gold medals.

After Felix secured her record 19th career World Championships medal Friday with a bronze in the mixed 4x400-meter relay, Fraser-Pryce joined her and Bolt as the only athletes with at least 10 global gold medals. She also moved into third overall with 12 overall World medals, behind Felix and Bolt’s 14, and still potentially has the 200 and 4x100 relay left to contest in Eugene.

More than 30 minutes following the conclusion of the race, Fraser-Pryce was still taking her victory lap with Thompson-Herah and Jackson, posing for photos and taking the opportunities to soak in the appreciation during her interaction with fans around the stadium, representing Jamaica and other countries around the world.

“I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do it at 35, having a baby, still going, and hopefully inspiring women that they can make their own journey,” Fraser-Pryce said.

Although Thompson-Herah achieved a silver medal in the 200 final in 2015 in Beijing, Sunday’s championship race marked the first career 100 medals for both her and Jackson at the World Championships.

Jackson also became the first female athlete in meet history to capture medals in both the 100 and 400, joining American Fred Kerley, who achieved the feat with his 100 victory Saturday. Jackson earned 400 bronze medals in both 2015 in Beijing and 2019 in Doha.

“I’m just grateful,” said Jackson, the world leader in the 200 at 21.55. “Last year when I switched to the 100 meters, I was scared but I took my time and here I am today. Feeling good to be part of history and coming for more.”

Dina Asher-Smith, who secured silver in 2019 in Doha, equaled the British record by finishing fourth in 10.83, with Americans Aleia Hobbs (10.92) and Melissa Jefferson (11.03) placing sixth and eighth overall.