Fraser-Pryce, the fastest woman in the world this year, pulled out of the Lausanne Diamond League last week with a tight hamstring. The athlete admits that she was apprehensive about risking an injury, but has revealed that scans have shown no significant damage to the muscle and insists she is now ready to go.
In Brussels, Fraser-Pryce is expected to battle compatriot and 100m silver medalist Shericka Jackson and Americans Aleia Hobbs and Sha ‘Carri Richardson, along with Diamond League event leader Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire.
“At one point I thought about calling it a season after Lausanne because I didn’t want to take any risks,” Fraser-Pryce told members of the media, on Thursday, ahead of the Brussels meet.
“Then I got some rest for a couple of days, got a scan done and they said it was just the contraction of the muscle, then I got a second scan and it was good…I know it’s not 100 percent but I’m very optimistic about what I can do tomorrow,” she added.
Depending on how she fares after tomorrow's event, Fraser-Pryce could be looking at competing in one or two more races to take advantage of her good form so far this season. The athlete has clocked 6 times below 10.7s so far this season, the most in the event's history.
Williams finished runner-up well behind the Dominica Republic’s Fiordaliza Cofil in a time of 50.15. Cofil took the top spot with a personal best 49.80. Having dipped below the 50-second mark for the last two races, the result was a little surprising for the sprinter who believes she lost some power down the final stretch.
“I feel a little bit disappointed it wasn´t what I´m capable of. I was not able to speed up in the final stretch. It was good to run here it was hotter than I expected. Right now, I will review the race and see where I can improve. On to the next race,” Williams said after the race.
Belgium’s Cynthia Bolingo was third in a national record 50.19. Jamaica’s Candice McLeod was further back in fifth place after clocking 50.76. With 32 points from 6 races, however, Williams still leads the 400m standing for this season's Diamond League.
The 31-year-old had a relatively fast first 300m before digging in for the last 100m to win in 44.84, holding off the fast-finishing Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic who ran a season’s best 44.93 in second.
Norway’s Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen ran 45.07 in third.
This is the fifth time that McDonald has dipped below 45 seconds this season, with all coming after the Jamaican National Championships in June where he didn’t report for his semi-final.
McDonald was a member of the Jamaican 4x400 quartet at the World Championships in Budapest.
Bol started calmly before using her unreal strength to pull away from the rest of the field in the last 100m to come home in a meet record 52.11.
Russell, a two-time Commonwealth Champion and a finalist at the recently concluded World Championships in Budapest, was second in 53.80 while Clayton, who took bronze at those World Championships, was third in 54.10.
Andrenette Knight, who was also a finalist in Budapest, led the field after the first half of the race but faded into sixth in 54.75.
