Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce withdraws from Botswana Golden Grand Prix

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ATHLETICS Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce withdraws from Botswana Golden Grand Prix

Festus Chuma 18:28 - 21.04.2023

The thirst -fastest 100m sprinter in history was set to open her 2023 season in Gaborone.

Multiple Olympic and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has decided not to compete in the Botswana Golden Grand Prix.

The five-time world champion announced that she has pulled out of the April 29 event, with the Jamaican saying it's due to a family emergency.

"I was very excited to kick off my season in Botswana, and while it comes as a disappointment, I will unfortunately no longer be able to compete in the Golden Grand Prix due to a family emergency," she said.

Fraser-Pryce was to return to Africa for the second time, having participated in the e 2022 Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.

The 36-year-old recently confirmed that she would also participate in the Kenyan event set for May 13 in Nairobi.

Botswana Golden Prix has attracted a galaxy of stars, including American Sha'Carri Richardson, who will line up in 200m.

 Other top runners include World and Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, World 100m silver medallist Marvin Bracy, and African record holder Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala. 

Canada's world 4x100m champion Aaron Brown will also be in Gaborone alongside Liberian record-holder Emmanuel Matadi and triple world U20 medallist Benji Richardson of South Africa.

Fraser-Pryce is the third-fastest woman of all time, behind Florence Joyner-Griffith and Elaine Thompson-Herah, with a best of 10.6 seconds in the 100m, and is regarded by many as the best female sprinter of all time. 

She won gold in the 100m at the 2008 Games in Beijing, London 2012, Tokyo 20202, and five world titles in the same event.

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