LIMA, Peru – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has won five major championships 100 meters titles, but the Jamaican sprint star would like to believe that she is more than just a 100m runner.
Fraser-Pryce, one of the most decorated female sprinters at global championships, added the Pan American Games 200m title to her growing collection with a record-breaking performance on Friday.
Record Breaking Run
The 32-year-old who is targeting the sprint double at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, next month, posted 22.43 (-0.1 m/s) seconds to lower the previous Games record of 22.45, set in 1979 by American Evelyn Ashford.
“It’s a long time since I’ve broken a record so I feel great about that,” she told reporters after her winning run.
Fraser-Pryce added: “I want to think that I’m much better at 100m, but the 200m represent a bigger challenge for me.”
The twice Olympic 100m champion and three-time world champion in the same event, controlled the women’s 200m from start to finish, after running a strong curve to build a big lead and then eased down in the closing meters.
Fraser-Pryce Dedicates Title To Son
“I’m working on getting better at 200m and I’m also very happy to win this title for my country,” she added, noting that she dedicated the victory to her two-year-old son Zyon.
“I knew it was cold, but it was cold for everyone, not just for me, so I just wanted to execute the first 100m like my coach told me to do.”
Fraser-Pryce, who is the joint-fastest 100m runner this season with a time of 10.73 seconds, will return to Jamaica to continue her preparations for Doha.
“Now, I thank god that I finished healthy and I can go back home and put on some more training,” the Jamaican revealed.
Brazil’s Vitoria Cristina Rose won silver the silver medal with a personal best of 22.62, while Bahamian Tynia Gaither picked up the bronze with 22.76.
