Jamaica’s undisputed queen of sprints, Shellyann Fraser-Pryce, will carry her nation’s flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro – hosted Games of the XXXI Olympiad.
The three-time (2012, 2013, 2015) winner of the National Sportswoman of the Year Award is being afforded the honour for the first time.
The distinction was given to her male counterpart in speed exploits, Usain Bolt who had that prestigious position at the London Olympics of 2012.
The pocket rocket as she is often called, will command the attention of the world, not only in her black, green and gold portage, but is on the cusp of a history making achievement effort.
She is on the hunt for a unique triple of 100m victories at this level, having taken the event as a surprise to many, in 2008 in Beijing and repeated at the following version in London, four years later.
The 29 year old, Fraser-Pryce, unlike her immediate predecessors, who once ruled Jamaica’s female sprinting frontiers, Merlene Ottey and Veronica Campbell-Brown, was not a serious contender at the junior level.
However, her introduction to her country’s virtual home of elite sprinters, the MVP Track Club and coach Stephen Francis, has worked wonders for her, starting with the Beijing Olympics triumph.
She duplicated the win at the Berlin World Champs in the following year.