The last dance for Fraser-Pryce

Blessed Privileged Those were the words that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce used repeatedly as she made slow progress through the media mixed zone after her eighth and last 100m final at the World Athletics Championships.

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For once, the woman widely regarded as the greatest female sprinter the world has seen wanted to take it slow — outside of those 11 seconds when she was in race mode. After 18 years as one of the world’s fastest women, the 38-year-old Jamaican was entitled to take her time.

“I felt the love, I felt the support,” she said. “To have that reception was truly wonderful.”

The woman once known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’, but more recently as ‘Mommy Rocket’ following the birth of her son Zyon in 2017, was determined to finish on a high note.

She accomplished that by reaching the 100m final in Tokyo, having the chance to say farewell to a sellout crowd of 60,000 people in the Japan National Stadium and millions more watching around the world.

That she finished sixth in her last individual race did not matter to the fans although, competitive to the end, the five-time world 100m champion was hoping for a better placing.

However, 18 years of pushing her body to the limit gave her perspective on her career.

“Tonight, I am really grateful that I was able to stand on the track one more time in the 100m finals,” she said. “It has been such a privilege, an honour, and my greatest blessing to stand here tonight.