Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has praised Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce for her tenacity and inner strength that, after suffering an injury, allowed her to finish her leg of the 4×100m relay Saturday to help Jamaica to get the silver medal at the World Championships in Budapest.
Running on the back-stretch, Fraser-Pryce reported suffered a hamstring strain early into the leg but risking even greater injury, still managed to get the baton to Sashalee Forbes so that Jamaica was able to complete the relay.
Put in a disadvantageous position, Shericka Jackson on anchor was unable to overhaul 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson on the anchor leg.
The Jamaican minister, who is in Budapest, was impressed by Fraser-Pryce’s courage in the face of great personal injury.
"Shelly, regarded by many as the greatest woman sprinter of all time, demonstrated another aspect of her greatness today (Saturday) when she suffered a muscle strain during the race but pushed on in spite of to safely hand off the baton, ensuring our medal,” the minister said.
"All of Jamaica hails you Shelly and we are grateful for your feat of seeing it through for the country despite the pain you must have been feeling. We are praying for your full and speedy recovery."
Following the race, Fraser-Pryce’s teammates rushed to the medical facility to support the veteran sprinter, who despite nursing a knee injury won bronze in the 100m final on last Monday to win her 15th medal at the World Championships.
The relay silver medal is her 16th and makes her Jamaica’s most decorated athlete – male or female – at the championships that began in 1983.