EUGENE, Oregon — Fresh from winning a record fifth world 100m title, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce easily advanced into the semi-finals of the women’s 200m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The 35-year-old, who claimed a fifth world 100m title, raised her right arm to fix the hairpiece and kept on running, crossing the line in 22.26 in second place.
The Jamaican has worn three wigs so far in Eugene including one featuring the green and yellow colours of her country’s flag when she took 100m gold.
“I’m just excited about bringing out my new collection,” she said according to Reuters.
“I brought quite a few. I would say about 10. I brought a bag just for wigs and hair products.
“I had my hair done, coloured from home, and I packed them. I had different hair stylists here install them for me. This one I actually did myself.”
Shericka Jackson, who has the quickest time this season of 21.55sec, and four-time Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, a world silver medallist over 200m in 2015, are still both seeking their first individual world titles.
“Qualified and that is enough,” said Thompson-Herah.
While the 100m sweep was the first time a nation had swept the medals in the women’s 100m at the worlds, the trio has a good chance of repeating that in the 200m and it will be up to their rivals to up their performances.
Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the reigning world 200m champion who was fourth in the 100m, poses a real threat, while the American trio of Tamara Clark, Jenna Prandini and Abby Steiner could also push for podium spots should they safely negotiate the semi-finals.
Another dark horse could be Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi, who finished sixth in the Tokyo Olympics final.
“The target is to go through every round that I can,” said the 19-year-old Namibian, who is unable to compete at certain events due to controversial rules over testosterone levels.
“So I am going to take everything step by step now. My team mates definitely expect me to do great and to reach the finals, maybe even to fight for medals, but at the end of the day, I am just going to do what I can.”
