Fraser-Pryce’s attitude on Thursday night was pure joy after collecting yet another global medal. She was singing “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees when she came through the mixed zone with reporters, and when one asked her about her colorful hair — was it fuchsia? — she playfully glared at him.
“This is hot pink” she said. “You definitely are a man. He’s like, ‘Fuchsia?’ No! Hot girl summer.”
As for the race itself, Fraser-Pryce said her legs were “tired” — extending the word into two syllables for emphasis. But she was thrilled with her result.
“Mentally, I really talked myself into this,” she said. “I was like, I’m here, I’m ready, I worked hard, and I wanted to show up. I knew it was going to be a tall order to come out here and do something special, but I’m really glad that I competed today.”
Fraser-Pryce, 35, said she thought last season was going to be her final on the track, but surprised herself after running 10.63 seconds in the 100 meters. She’s consistently hit times of 10.6 seconds since, and now has rethought her retirement plan.
“I feel like I really owe it to myself to see how far I can go as a sprinter,” Fraser-Pryce said. “And just continuing to transcend what I thought was possible for women, especially after having a baby and after turning 30.”
The next task for the Jamaican women is the 4×100-meter relay, which begins with preliminary heats on Friday before the finals on Saturday. The women have also dominated this event, winning gold in four of the last six world championships. Jackson, Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah and Briana Williams ran the second-fastest time ever at the Tokyo Olympics. They should easily win the gold, and the world record of 40.82 seconds held by the United States should be in jeopardy.
Scott Cacciola contributed reporting.