Pellau Magazine

Published: August 4, 2012 LONDON — A small island nation of fewer than 3 million people gets to claim the fastest woman in the world again. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica defended her gold medal on Saturday night in the women’s 100 meters, edging Carmelita Jeter of the United States in 10.75 seconds at the London Games. Jeter was second in 10.78 seconds, and Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica was third in 10.81. The U.S. sprinters Tianna Madison (10.85) and Allyson Felix (10.89) were fourth and fifth. Jeter, running in Lane 5, and Fraser-Pryce, in Lane 7, were so close that it took several moments for the official results to appear on the large screen at the Olympic Stadium. Once she saw that she had won gold, Fraser-Pryce dropped to the track and covered her face. She is the third woman to win the 100 twice, joining Wyomia Tyus of the United States (1964, ’68) and Gail Devers of the United States (1992, ’96.) Jeter, 32, ruled this race last year at the world championships and had posted the best time in the semifinals, 10.83. But she faced a deep field in the finals. All eight runners had run under 11 seconds this year, and five of them finished under 10.90 on Saturday night. For the first time in Olympic history, six women ran under 11 seconds in the final. At the 2008 Beijing Games, Fraser-Pryce, now 25, led a Jamaican sweep of the 100, ahead of Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart. With a time of 10.78 seconds in Beijing, Fraser became the first Jamaican woman to win gold in the event. Fraser-Pryce and the Jamaican women combined with Usain Bolt and the Jamaican men for a dominant sprint performance in 2008. On Sunday, Bolt and his countryman Yohan Blake could give Jamaica an encore when they run in the preliminaries and final of the men’s 100 meters. Bolt is the reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder, and Blake is the world champion. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/sports/olympics/fraser-pryce-of-jamaica-defends-gold-in-womens-100-meters.html?_r=1