OFF TO THE RACES
World Athletics said on Friday that multiple Olympic and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will seek a strong start to her season when she races at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, this year’s second World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, in Gaborone on April 29.
The Jamaican sprint star ran 10.67 in her first 100m race of 2022 at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, also a Continental Tour Gold event, to achieve the fastest ever women’s 100m season opener, World Athletics said.
It said she went on to win a fifth world 100m title in Oregon, “and, this year, will aim to add another gold medal to her highly decorated CV at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23.”
“I will be returning to Africa at the Botswana Continental Tour Gold track meet,” said Fraser-Pryce in a message to fans. “I am excited to be opening my season so you guys get to see me run fast and have fun.”
Grenada’s Kirani James celebrates winning the bronze medal in the men’s 400m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Olympic Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Joining Fraser-Pryce in Botswana will be fellow sprinters Kirani James and Ferdinand Omanyala, who have been announced for the 400m and 100m, respectively, World Athletics said.
It said Grenada’s James completed a set of world 400m medals in Oregon last year, claiming silver to go with his 2011 gold and 2015 bronze.
Kenya’s Omanyala, meanwhile, claimed Commonwealth Games and African 100m titles in 2022., World Athletics said.
It said this year’s World Athletics Continental Tour offers “the biggest calendar yet” and includes 14 Gold level events spread across five of the six continental areas.
The action kicked off in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 23 and runs through to September, when the Memorial Borisa Hanzekovica in Zagreb, Croatia, welcomes athletes on Sept. 8-10.
World Athletics said other athletes already announced for tour events include Mondo Duplantis for the Ostrava Golden Spike on Jun. 27, and Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver for the FBK Games on Jun. 4.
