In her 300th race as a professional, sprinting icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce got her 2025 season off to a solid start on Saturday, showing good form to start her campaign off with a win before pouring cold water on retirement rumours.

While Fraser-Pryce dominated the build-up to the event, it was another sprinter, Ackeem Blake, who stole the event, registering the third sub-10 clocking this season in the men’s 100m.

Fraser-Pryce clocked a wind-aided 10.94 seconds (+3.1m/s) to finish on top of the women’s 100m time sheet in the heats, at Saturday’s Velocity Fest 17 meet at the National Stadium, as she took the first steps in a campaign that she hopes will culminate with more glory at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

The signs are encouraging.

“I haven’t competed in a long time, so I really wanted to come out here and just get some practice,” Fraser-Pryce told the Jamaica Observer.

Troubled by injury setbacks, this was the three-time Olympic champion and 10-time World champion’s earliest start to a season in three years, after running her first event in the middle of June last year and in early July in 2023.

“Yes in the last two years I have started the season late so this year, of course, I’m healthy, feeling good, so I decided to come and see what’s up,” Fraser-Pryce added.

“It feels good to start a bit earlier than usual and again, it’s a long season, very long, so I’m really just making sure that I choose my races wisely and stay healthy and just continue to train.”

In her heat, Fraser-Pryce was followed to the line by Natasha Morrison, whose 11.01 seconds effort was also the overall second-best time at the meet. Shaniqua Bascombe, 11.28, finished third in the heat.

Fraser-Pryce did not turn up for the final, which was won by Tina Clayton in 11.17 seconds with Natasha Morrison, 11.29, taking second and Serena Cole, 11.30 finishing third.

Prior to yesterday, Fraser-Pryce, who started her career in 2007, competed in 299 events as a professional.

The last two years have undoubtedly been her most challenging as it relates to fitness, with the now 38-year-old sprinter managing only 15 races over the past two seasons – six of those coming in 2024, when she ended her season after pulling out of the 100m semis at the Paris Olympics.

Still, whispers that 2025 may be her last season were somewhat put to bed when the athlete made it clear that such a decision had not been taken.

“I haven’t confirmed that (retirement), so when I do, I’ll let you know. I really haven’t checked how many races I did last year. It’s a long season, very long, so I’m really just making sure that I choose my races wisely and stay healthy and just continue to train,” Fraser-Pryce continued.

It is believed in some quarters that Fraser-Pryce will look to end her illustrious career at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Ackeem Blake, who also won his heat earlier, stormed to a 9.96 seconds (+1.7m/s) clocking in the men’s 100m final, outpowering Nigel Ellis, 10.11 and Bryan Levell, 10.19 to the line.

Blake’s time is the second fastest in the year so far with only Akani Simbine’s 9.90 seconds run in Botswana on April 12, bettering the Jamaican.

Shadae Lawrence won the Women’s Discus event with a 58.91m throw, finishing ahead of Najhada Seymoure, 53.47m and Breanna Monteith, 47.66m.

Moses Parkinson, 16.60m won the Men’s Shot Put ahead of O’Neil Collins, 14.68m and Michael Clarke, 14.29m, while the Men’s Long Jump went to Aubrey Allen, 7.41m with Leonard Botia, 7.19m and Chevaughn Parkinson, 7.01m finishing second and third, respectively.

Patrick Kakozi Nyambe clocked 45.80 to win the Men’s 400m ahead of Demish Gaye, 46.03 and Javier Brown, 46.11.

Sada Williams, Barbados’ 2022 World Championships bronze medal winner, took the women’s equivalent in 51.27, finishing ahead of Shiann Salmon, 52.20 and Jodean Williams, 53.39.

Rasheed Broadbell was the winner in the 110m Hurdles in 13.37 seconds, finishing ahead of Odario Phillips, 13.61 and Yojan Chaverra, 13.66, while Tia Clayton clocked a personal best 23.09 seconds to win the women’s 200m with Roneisha McGregor, 23.34 and Alliah Baker, 23.37 following her to the line.