Fraser-Pryce into 100m final as Jamaica target sweep / Photo: Jewel SAMAD - AFP
Fraser-Pryce into 100m final as Jamaica target sweep
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's bid for a fifth world 100m title remained on track after she coasted through to the finals in Eugene, Oregon, on Sunday.
Fraser-Pryce, sporting a shock of long hair dyed into the national colours of Jamaica after racing the first round coloured purple, barely broke sweat as she coasted home in her semi-final in 10.93 seconds.
The 35-year-old leads a trio of strong Jamaicans into the final, seeking to repeat the medal cleansweep they managed at last year's Tokyo Olympics.
In the Japanese capital, it finished with Elaine Thompson-Herah taking gold, Fraser-Pryce silver and Shericka Jackson bronze.
While Thompson-Herah's Tokyo triumph brought her individual Olympic tally to four golds, she and Jackson are both seeking their first individual world titles.
Thompson-Herah won her semi-final in 10.82sec and Jackson hers in 10.84.
The question is whether any of the Jamaicans come close to the world record of 10.49, set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.
Thompson-Herah ran 10.54 at the Prefontaine Classic last year, and Fraser-Pryce set a personal best of 10.60 last year in Lausanne.
Also going through to the final scheduled for 0250 GMT are Americans Melissa Jefferson and Aleia Hobbs, and Marie-Jose Ta Lou of Ivory Coast.
European hopes lie with Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, the reigning world 200m champion, and Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji.
K.Laurent--JdB
