Olympics: Fraser wins 100m gold in Jamaican sweep

Monday, 18 August 2008

BEIJING - Shelly-Ann Fraser led an unprecedented women's 100-metre Olympic medal sweep for Jamaica on Sunday, devastating American rivals in a head-to-head sprint showdown to decide the world's fastest woman.

One night after Jamaican Usain Bolt thrilled his homeland by winning the men's 100m in a world-record 9.69 seconds, Fraser powered to victory in 10.78 seconds with Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart sharing second in 10.98.

"I was inspired by last night," Fraser said. "This is a crazy Bolt effect."

"I am just so happy to put Jamaica on the map. No one expected me to win so there was no pressure."

There is now as Fraser moved level as the eighth-best all-time performer alongside Americans Torri Edwards and Dawn Sowell.

"I was thinking before the race about winning," Fraser said. "I thought to myself, 'Calm down. You have to win first. You need to go out there and do it.'"

Fraser, whose prior claim to fame came on last year's world 4x100 runner-up relay, surged ahead at the start and pulled away from Simpson midway into the race with Stewart catching her for the first Olympic sweep in the event.

"We made history, just like Bolt," Simpson said. "We're all great athletes and I'm very excited about the tremendous achievement. We're very good athletes and this says a lot for our country."

Three Jamaicans and three Americans advanced to the championship match-up from earlier semi-finals, but only disappointment awaited US women.

Athens Olympic runner-up and 2005 world champion Lauryn Williams was fourth in 11.03 with US champion Muna Lee fifth in 11.07 and 2003 world champion Edwards eighth and last in 11.20.

"It's heartbreaking," Lee said. "It will be all right. It was just one of those days."

Stewart, who had the second-fastest time in the world this year at 10.80, said the sweep was the culmination of years of efforts for the Caribbean island's sprinters.

"It was about time," Stewart said. "We have been waiting for this a long time and so many Jamaican athletes have come so close. The guys should have done it too. They had the speed."

Simpson, who ran for Jamaica's 2004 Olympic 4x100 relay champions, has a chance to add to her medal haul in the 200 and the relay title defence.

"It's wonderful to have a top three for Jamaica. It's stunning," Simpson said. "This victory boosts my confidence to win the 200. We will also do well in the 4x100. I believe we can beat the Americans."

They proved they could much to the US team's dismay.

"It was incredibly close. I tried my best, gave my all. I'm not frustrated at all," Williams said.

"I wasn't thinking about Jamaican speed. I've seen them all year long. They are very consistent - 10.78 into a pretty strong headwind is pretty impressive."

Edwards, whose 2008 world-best time was equalled by Fraser, said she thought she had false started and expected to be called back.

"I thought I had moved before the gun," Edwards said. "I had to go but I was off step. That threw me off a lot. I'm pretty sure it was a false start."

Defending Olympic champion Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus was eliminated in the semi-finals earlier on Sunday. Reigning world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown did not qualify for the event at the Jamaican Olympic trials.