Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won the silver medal in the 200-meters at London in 2012, missed the final for this event on Sunday at the Jamaica Olympic trials. PHOTO/GETTYIMAGES.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 2 – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s hopes of an Olympic sprint double have been dashed following her late withdrawal from the 200 meters final at the Jamaican trials, officials confirmed here Monday.
Bruce James, president of Fraser-Pryce’s MVP track club, told AFP in an email no medical exemption had been submitted for the two-time Olympic 100m champion after she pulled out of Sunday’s race in Kingston.
MVP team-mate Elaine Thompson, who also withdrew from the 200m final, had requested an exemption, James said in an email.
“A medical exemption was submitted for Elaine as she meets the requirements for a medical exemption in the 200m,” he said.
“No medical exemption was submitted for Shelly Ann as she does not meet the … stated criteria for a medical exemption in the 200m,” he added.
James said fitness issues were behind the decisions of both women to withdraw.
Fraser-Pryce is still troubled by a niggling toe injury while Thompson had a sore hamstring, he said.
“In both cases the athletes health was the number one concern,” James said.
Fraser-Pryce, 29, won back-to-back gold medals in the 100m at the Beijing and London Olympics but had to settle for silver in the 200m behind Allyson Felix in 2012.
Thompson won silver over 200m at last year’s World Championships in Beijing.
