WHEN the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) announced the country’s team to the IAAF World Relays that will be held in Yokohama, Japan, today and tomorrow, many track and field fans would have been surprised to see Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce listed for the 4x200m and not the 4x100m.

But while the experts ponder the decision made by the JAAA, the 200m World Champion of 2013 is relishing the opportunity to participate in this particular event.

“I am looking forward to it, I think the ladies that I will be running with are very strong when it comes to the 200m and Jamaica has a real chance of doing some great work when it comes to the 4x200m.

“We have Elaine on that team, we have Shericka Jackson and Stephanie-Ann McPherson, and I think Shashalee Forbes is also in that pool,” noted Fraser-Pryce.

The Jamaican sprint champion also believes that the star power that Jamaica has going into the World Relays sets them up quite nicely to win gold.

“I think with those ladies we should able to come away with a very good time, and hopefully we can leave the gold medal as well, so I am really looking forward to racing with them,” she disclosed.

It would appear that two-time 100m Olympic gold medallist had an inkling that she would have been selected for the 4x200m and not the 100m as would have been expected by most people.

“I don’t think I am surprised, honestly. My coach mentioned that he didn’t really want me to run the 4x100m, he wanted me to run the 4x200m. So having been selected for the 4×200 is just to a privilege to be able to represent the country again, especially with the crop of ladies that are going to represent the country,” noted Fraser-Pryce.

She also believes that there is a great level of expectation from the female sprinters this year compared to 2018.

“I think, honestly, for track and field, it’s a great boost having the ladies coming out with some dominant times. Last year there was excitement, but this level of excitement and anticipation for the rest of the season, I think, puts everybody in a good spot to come and to work hard and to have some good times.”

The mother of one, who returned to competitive action last year says there is no room for error on any given day.

“I am looking forward to the rest of the season and just each of the meets that I will have to compete and also the rest of the ladies, because you can’t lighten up in any race whether it be the 400m, 200m, 100m, you have to be ready,” Fraser-Pryce stated.

Fraser-Pryce ran the lead-off leg for Jamaica at the Penn Relays as the country won gold in the USA vs the rest of the World women’s 4x100m. She believes the depth of women’s sprinters will serve the country well.

“It was very good and it also speaks to the depth that we have with the women’s team. It’s always good when we can pull any four of the ladies that we have and we can still come away with a gold medal.

“So it speaks to the volume and how great our female athletes are, to represent and to do well, so for me it just means we are heading in the right direction as a country and also as females. At any given time we can call on four ladies and to have those four ladies come out and represent at the highest level is a plus,” she concluded.