PARIS: Jamaican double champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce missed her Olympic 100 metres semi-final on Saturday after sustaining an injury in the warm-up after her preparation was unsettled by security officials delaying her entry to the Stade de France.
Fraser-Pryce, competing at her fifth Games at the age of 37 and the winner of two golds, a silver and a bronze over 100m, had been due to run in the second heat but appeared as a “did not start” in the official lists.
Social media footage later emerged of Fraser-Pryce, one of the most recognisable faces in the sport, and Jamaican team members arguing with officials who would not let their vehicle enter.
American Sha’Carri Richardson also appeared in the video. Fraser-Pryce was shown saying: “They’ve changed the rules. We came through this gate before but now they’re saying athletes who have left can’t use this gate.”
Jamaican chef de mission Ian Kelly later told Reuters there had been a delay but that Fraser-Pryce’s absence was due to injury.
“Mrs Fraser-Pryce was allowed to enter the warm up track but from another gate from which she was directed to enter from,” he said.
“There is no truth that she was not allowed to enter the stadium. Unfortunately she was not able to compete due to an injury sustained during her final warmup.”
In Fraser-Pryce’s absence, Julien Alfred of St Lucia won the semi-final and went on to claim victory in the final too, with Richardson taking silver.
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Fraser-Pryce, who said in February she would retire after the Paris Games, later expressed her disappointment in a post on Instagram.
“I know that my supporters share and shoulder this disappointment with me,” she wrote.
“I’m truly blessed to have had the steadfast support of my fans since my Olympic debut in 2008.”
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