PARIS, France — Although her preparations have not been ideal this season, national sprint icon and three-time Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has expressed that she will be banking on years of experience in the sport to topple her competitors in the 100m event at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Fraser-Pryce, who has run sparingly this season due to injuries, told the Jamaica Observer in an exclusive interview that she has not had the best preparations for the championships. However, she is confident that if she executes all the way to the line she will definitely be in the mix for a medal.

“Preparations-wise, honestly, it wouldn’t have been the way I wanted it this year but, ultimately, I felt like I had a good training session last month, and I think that has been really good for me. So, I am always one of those persons who believes that experience will work,” Fraser-Pryce said.

Many-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is spotted at the athletes village at the Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Friday. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

“It [experience] will always give you a solid start and so that is what I am banking on — the experience that I have had all the other years that I have been to different championships. I am really hoping to showcase that in the coming days.”

Fraser-Pryce, an eight-time Olympic medallist and a 10-time world champion, has only run four races this season. The 37-year-old withdrew from her first race outside Jamaica at the World Athletics Continental Tour meet in Lucerne, Switzerland, on July 16 due to slight discomfort during warm-ups.

Fraser-Pryce won a silver medal in the women’s 100m event at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. She will enter this year’s Olympic Games with a personal best time of 10.60 seconds and a season’s best effort of 10.91. Fraser-Pryce is the joint third-fastest Jamaican woman this year, along with Brianna Lyston, with a time of 10.91 seconds.

National sprint double champion Shericka Jackson, who is the reigning world 200m champion, is the fastest Jamaican woman this year with a time of 10.84. Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA is the fastest woman on the planet this year with her time of 10.71 seconds.

Fraser-Pryce said she cannot predict the time she will need to run to get a medal but is instead focusing mentally and physically on crossing the line in front at the championships.

“For me, it is getting to the line — that is most important for me,” Fraser-Pryce said. “The start is paramount in anything that we do so, ultimately, once I am at the start then I am aiming for the best. I don’t do time predictions at all; for me it’s about getting to the line, and executing, and just leaving the rest.”

Fraser-Pryce says she is honoured to be participating in her fifth Olympic Games and has been enjoying the atmosphere inside the Olympic village.

“My fifth is such a milestone,” she said. “I think I am feeling good and I am excited about it. So far, I have got into the village and I am enjoying the atmosphere. I am just really looking forward to representing the Jamaica team the best way I can and just having fun.”

Fraser-Pryce will be in action on Friday, August 2 in the women’s 100m event.