Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sets 'World's Fastest Woman' Record in Berlin

By Steve Schy

Berlin
18 August 2009

Shelly-Ann Fraser captured the World Athletics Championships gold medal in the women's 100 meters on Monday to claim the title of "World's Fastest Woman". As our correspondent reports from Olympic Stadium in Berlin, she joins fellow-Jamaican Usain Bolt, who won the men's title on Sunday.

In the closing event, Shelly-Ann Fraser jumped out of the starting blocks and never trailed as she crossed the finish line in a world-leading time of 10.73 seconds.

Fraser told VOA Sports how she did it:

"All right, let me tell you," said Shelly-Ann Fraser. "I went out there. I don't have a World Championship medal, so I need to go get it. So I thought, 'Okay then, stop thinking so hard and just do it,' 'cause I know I have it in me. I just went out and I won and then like 'Ahhh.'"

Another Jamaican, Kerron Stewart, just missed catching Fraser at the tape and finished with the silver medal, 2/100ths of a second back. Carmelita Jeter of the United States took the bronze with a time of 10.90 seconds.

Earlier in a busy evening on the track, five other gold medals were awarded.

Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia captured the men's hammer throw gold with a toss of 80.84 meters.

In a shocking result, world record holder Elena Isinbaeva of Russia failed to medal in the pole vault. The gold went to Poland's Anna Rogowska with a vault of 4.75 meters.

Yargeris Savigne of Cuba came out on top in the triple jump with a leap of 14.95 meters, while Spain's Marta Domínguez took the gold medal in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, with a world leading time of 9 minutes, 7.32 seconds.

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia set a new World Championship record in the men's 10,000 meters, breaking the tape in 26 minutes, 46.31 seconds. It was his fourth world title in the event.

Meanwhile, defending World champion Tyson Gay of the United States announced he will not run in the 200 meter event at the Championships. Despite competing all season with an injured groin, Gay won the silver medal in the 100 meters on Sunday with a national record time of 9.71 seconds.

But the effort took its toll and Gay has decided to skip the 200 meters and rest in the hope that he can compete for Team USA as part of the 4x100 meter relay team.