All Eyes on Fraser-Pryce at IAAF World Challenge Meeting in Kingston

Published by the IAAF on May 1, 2014

The 100m clashes, with multiple World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce against the talented Blessing Okagbare and the Jamaican pair of Nesta Carter and Warren Weir versus US sprinter Justin Gatlin, will highlight the Jamaica International Invitational, an IAAF World Challenge Meeting, on Saturday (3).

Much of the attention is focused on the diminutive powerhouse Fraser-Pryce, who is having her first serious outdoor outing of the year - not counting the special 60m she ran in Kingston back in February - after a super-successful indoor season which culminated in her winning the 60m title at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in March in a world-leading time of 6.98. 

Inevitably, her continued success at the highest level means that Fraser-Pryce is running with a metaphorical target on her back.

"Jamaica is a country of champions. Everyone knows about their prowess and their enviable successes on the track, but I'm determined to compete on the big stage and prove myself," said Okagbare.

The US-based Nigeria laid down the gauntlet and added that she believes Fraser-Pryce is beatable on her home soil despite the fact that the statistics point to the Jamaican being the heavy favourite.

In addition to Fraser-Pryce’s plethora of medals from major championships, including winning three golds at last summer’s IAAF World Championships in Moscow, the 100m head-to-head record between the pair is 12-3, Okagbare’s last win coming at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London just before the Moscow 2013.

Adding competitiveness to the 100m field will be Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart, and two quick Americans, English Gardner and Alexandria Anderson, the latter pair finishing first and second in the 2013 US Championships and both running well under 11 seconds last season.