I’m not scared of Okagbare – Fraser-Pryce

Posted by admin Headlines, Sports, Track & Field Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has stated that she is unperturbed by the threat posed by Nigeria’s Blessing Okagabre in the women 100m at the IAAF World Championships starting Saturday in Moscow, Russia.

Okagbare emerged as potential champion in Moscow when she ran 10.79 seconds at the London Anniversary Games in July.

She beat the two-time Olympic champion to the fourth place even as Fraser-Pryce set a 10.77 seconds world leading time during the semi-final of that same event. The Jamaican said in Moscow that she thrives when she is under pressure and she is ready to deliver when it matters.

“I have put myself mentally in the position to deliver when it matters.

“I don’t know exactly what it is, but I know I’m just ready when it matters. Persons who know me would say that I thrive under pressure, so maybe that’s it,” Fraser-Pryce said.

The bubbly sprinter has developed a knack of making it count on the biggest stage, winning gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, the IAAF World Championships in Berlin a year later and also at Olympics in London in 2012.

“I am thinking about what Shelly-Ann can do, I am not thinking about anybody else because for me, I believe at Championships, persons don’t come here to lay down and hand you a medal. I am here to focus on what I need to do, focus on my lane and everything else will fall into place.

“Everybody is here to get something, but I am not focusing on any individual athlete because for me, you never know. But if you’re mentally and physically ready, you can get there, so that’s what I’m focusing on.”

She continued, “The ladies in the 100m have been doing phenomenal things and running well and that’s a challenge. I love challenges and I am ready and praying that everything works out.

Meanwhile, all Jamaican athletes to the World Championships underwent a routine dope test. It is a new introduction by the IAAF which will see all athletes for the championships tested before the commencement of events.wp_posts