Jamaica’s sprinting icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the three-time Olympic champion, withdrew just before her 100m race at the Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern meet in Switzerland on Tuesday.
Fraser-Pryce, 37, said she “felt something” during her pre-race warm-ups. The meet in Lucerne was expected to be one of her final stops ahead of what she has announced will be her last Olympic Games in Paris.
In her absence, New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs won heat one in 11.17 seconds, finishing first overall in the time final. Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji, a home favourite, won heat two in 11.20 seconds, placing second overall. Jamaica’s Kemba Nelson, who finished second in heat two, took third overall with a time of 11.21 seconds.
This was meant to be Fraser-Pryce’s first international race of the season. She has competed in only four 100m races this year, three of which were at the Jamaica Olympic trials.
In Paris, Fraser-Pryce will aim to add to the eight Olympic medals she has already won in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays.
Fraser-Pryce claimed 100m titles at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and secured 100m silver in Tokyo.
