English Woman's Journal - Fraser-Pryce seeks Brussels boost ahead of Tokyo worlds

Fraser-Pryce, at the age of 38, has struggled on the track this season to hit the highs that have seen her become a true pioneer of women's sprinting over the last 17 years.

Nevertheless, her third place in 10.91sec at the Jamaican trials saw her qualify for Tokyo where she will bid to add to her astonishing haul of medals.

Fraser-Pryce, the third-fastest woman of all time in the 100m with a time of 10.60, has won three Olympic gold medals and 10 world titles, with a total of 25 Olympic and world medals to her name.

Her fifth appearance in Brussels, where she set the meet record of 10.72sec back in 2013, will see her pitched against a strong American trio of Sha'Carri Richardson, the reigning world champion and Olympic silver medallist, in-form Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who tops the world-leading list, and Maia McCoy, who has twice timed sub-11sec sprints this season.

Fraser-Pryce has dipped under that 11sec barrier a record 88 times although her most recent outing, at last week's Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, saw her only manage a fourth-placed finish in 11.10sec.

"Our line-up is phenomenal, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, respectively the sprint queen of the past 15 years and the sprint sensation of the season," said meet director Kim Gevaert, who won Olympic gold in 2008 as part of Belgium's women's 4x100m relay squad.

"They will be joined by reigning world champion Sha'Carri Richardson and Daryll Neita, the number four at the Paris Games."

Rodney Green, a former Bahamas sprinter who transitioned into a successful coach, said he was concerned by Fraser-Pryce's recent form.

"Yes, she sometimes sandbags (flops) in races, but I don't think this late in the game, with her not being seen for a while, is a good sign," Green said alongside ex-US sprinter Justin Gatlin on their ReadySetGo podcast.

"With all the young ladies running the way they are, 11.10 is definitely not enough. I wouldn't have been concerned if she had run 10.90, but 11.10? At this stage, her body needs to feel those 10-second efforts, get into that rhythm, and know that she's ready."

- Thiam v KJT -

The Brussels meet, coming just two days after one in Lausanne, is the 14th Diamond League meeting of the season.

There remains just the August 27/28 finals in Zurich before the elite of track and field head to the world championships, which run from September 13-21 in Tokyo.

Eight reigning Olympic champions will be on show at the King Baudouin Stadium in the Belgian capital, including local favourite Nafi Thiam.

The three-time Olympic heptathlon champion will compete in the long jump against long-time rival Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the Briton who claimed silver in Paris.

Others include Winfred Yavi (3,000m steeplechase), Thea LaFond (triple jump), Yemisi Ogunleye (shot put), Hamish Kerr (high jump) and Roje Stona (discus throw).

Yavi is expected to go for the world record in the rarely-run mile steeplechase, while Agnes Jebet Ngetich will attempt to follow suit in the women's 5,000m.

US pole vaulter Sandi Morris, who set the meet record of 5m back in 2016, will once again be present.

She will be up against teammate Katie Moon, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and two-time World champion, and current world indoor champ Molly Caudery of Britain.

Caudery has already cleared 4.85m twice this year, while rising US star Amanda Moll has vaulted 4.91m during the indoor season.

F.McKenzie--EWJ