Many fans inside the National Stadium and watching around the world last Friday resigned themselves to the sad fact that five-time World 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, could miss out on a spot on Jamaica’s team for the individual 100m team at the World Championships set for Tokyo in September.

Nike’s Fraser-Pryce, who entered the June 26-29 JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships on the back of just two individual races this season, opened her championships last Thursday with 11.33 in the heats.

On Friday, she lined up in the second of three semi-finals where she was beaten comfortably by defending champion Tia Clayton who eased her way to 10.86 compared to Fraser-Pryce’s 11.02.

The first semi-final saw Shericka Jackson (10.94), Alana Reid (11.02), Jonielle Smith (11.03) and Ashanti Moore (11.08) all advance while Tina Clayton (10.93) and Jodean Williams (11.08) advanced from semi-final three.

Then, with a display reflective of her career at the top of the sport for more than a decade, the 39-year-old produced a season’s best 10.91 to secure third place in the final and a ninth trip to the World Championships.

“One thing I knew I had on my side was experience and I know it’s never over until it’s over. I’m grateful for that fighting spirit and that spirit that says once I step to the line, I’m ready to go,” Fraser-Pryce said after the race.

“It’s wonderful. I have to give God thanks for tonight because only he could have done this,” she added.

Fraser-Pryce, who announced her retirement from the sport at the season at an event in Kingston last week, will fittingly be going back to the country where she competed at her first World Championships in 2007.

“Excited to be on another team and I look forward to going to Tokyo. Japan is where I started my first senior championships so it’s such a full circle moment to go back there and I’m just really excited to go back and put the race together and hope for the best,” she said.

Photo credit: Marlon Reid/Loop News.