NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 – Widely regarded as one of the greatest female sprinters of all time, four-time Olympic champion Shelly Anne Fraser-Pryce jetted in to Nairobi on Wednesday night ahead of Saturday’s Kip Keino Classic, visibly excited and delighted on her first ever trip to Kenya.
Fraser-Pryce, who has also won nine World Championship titles could not hide her admiration for Kenya on track as well as off it, and looks forward to rewarding her fans with an amazing performance at the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour meet.
“It feels good to be in Kenya. Last year the Jamaican team was here for the World U20 Championships and it was fantastic. So I am also looking forward to a fantastic race and of course enjoy the Kenyan experience,” an excited and delighted Fraser-Pryce said as she landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
She added; “Well, I know about the Maasai tribe. I heard you guys have 42 different tribes… But so far I am having a fantastic time and the greeting was wonderful. I am looking forward to the Kenyan hospitality.”
“Why not come to Kenya? You guys talk about Kenya as the home of athletics and I wanted to come here and open my season in the 100 and hopefully I will put together a solid race to start off my season.”
“It definitely means a lot coming here especially because I have a lot of Kenyan fans on my facebook page and they are always telling me to come here. As a Jamaican, we are known for sprinting and we definitely want to be in a country that embraces and supports us as athletes.”
Apart from her admiration of the world famous Maasai tribe, Fraser-Pryce says she also admires Kenyan athletes including former multiple Olympic and World steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi.
“I like Kiprop, I also like the steeplechaser (Ezekiel Kemboi). He is my fabourite athlete because of his excitement when he competes in a race. I love the fact that he is always dancing, he is always happy and I think for us athletes it is super tensed every time we step on the track to race so when we are able to cross the line and enjoy the moment it is definitely fulfilling,” says the 35-year old mother of one.
Fraser-Pryce won silver at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the 100m, and she hopes starting off the season in Kenya will be a perfect bounce as she builds up towards the World Championships where she will be out to add on to her medal count.
The ‘Pocket Rocket’ as most of her adoring fans call her, says she wants to run a fast time and would be delighted if she set a new personal best time in Nairobi, her target being a 10.5secs.
“I am just looking forward to executing a good race and hopefully have some fast times. Well I cant say the exact time but I do know it is going to be a good race and I am really looking forward to it especially since last year a lot of guys came down here at the end of the season and had some fantastic times,”
“So I am hoping to get that Kenyan time where the breeze cooperates and the atmosphere is right and the energy is good so I am looking forward to an amazing race in that 100.”
A showdown is expected with American Sha’Carri Richardson also confirmed for the race as well as the Namibian sprint duo of Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma.
Mboma won silver in the 200m at the Olympic Games before coming to Nairobi where she won the World Junior 200m title.
As much as she expects a tough outing in Nairobi, the 35-year old is choosing to only focus on herself.
“The focus is just on Shelly right now. It is about starting my season well and making sure that I have the right foundation for the World Championship in July.”
“For me being able to race athletes who will bring your A game is very crucial because the only way you can practice what you have been doing in training is when you have good competition. I am just looking forward to having good competition and focusing on just me as an athlete and what I want to accomplish for this season,” she said.
