IN her 300th race as a professional, sprinting icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce got her 2025 season off to a solid start on Saturday, showing good form to start her campaign off with a win before pouring cold water on retirement rumours.

Fraser-Pryce clocked a wind-aided 10.94 seconds (+3.1m/s) to finish on top of the women’s 100m time sheet during Velocity Fest 17 at the National Stadium, as she took the first steps in a campaign she hopes will culminate with more glory at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, this September.

The signs are encouraging.

“I haven’t competed in a long time so I really wanted to come out here and just get some practice,” Fraser-Pryce told the Sunday Observer.

Troubled by injury setbacks, this was the three-time Olympic and 10-time World champion’s earliest start to a season in three years, after running her first event in the middle of June last year and early July in 2023.

“Yes, in the last two years I have started the season late so this year, of course, I’m healthy, feeling good, so I decided to come and see what’s up,” Fraser-Pryce said.

“It feels good to start a bit earlier than usual and, again, it’s a long season, very long, so I’m really just making sure that I choose my races wisely, and stay healthy, and just continue to train.”

In her heat, Fraser-Pryce was followed to the line by Natasha Morrison whose 11.01 seconds effort was also the overall second-best time at the meet. Shaniqua Bascombe, 11.28, finished third in the heat.

Kemba Nelson, who won her heat in 11.07 seconds, was the third-best overall for the evening. She was followed to the line in her heat by Serena Cole, 11.27 and Lavanya Williams, 11.31.

Tina Clayton, 11.12, won her heat ahead of Kasheika Cameron, 11.27 and Mickaell Moodie, 11.45.

Prior to yesterday Fraser-Pryce, who started her career in 2007, competed in 299 events as a professional.

The last two years have undoubtedly been her most challenging as it relates to fitness, with the now 38-year-old sprinter managing only 15 races over the past two seasons — six of those coming in 2024 when she ended her season after pulling out of the 100m semis at the Paris Olympics.

Still, whispers that 2025 may be her last season were somewhat put to bed when the athlete made it clear that such a decision had not been taken.

“I haven’t confirmed that [retirement] so when I do, I’ll let you know,” she said. “I really haven’t checked how many races I did last year. It’s a long season, very long, so I’m really just making sure that I choose my races wisely, and stay healthy, and just continue to train.”

It is believed in some quarters that Fraser-Pryce will look to end her illustrious career at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Also yesterday, Ackeem Blake took top honours in the men’s 100m, winning his heat in 10.03 seconds while being pushed along by an illegal +2.6m/s wind. Nigel Ellis, 10.05 (+3.1m/s) and Bryan Levell, 10.05 (+1.9m/s), who both won their respective heats, completed the top three in the event.

Shadae Lawrence won the women’s discus event with a 58.91m throw, finishing ahead of Najhada Seymoure, 53.47m and Breanna Monteith, 47.66m.

Moses Parkinson, 16.60m, won the men’s shot put ahead of O’Neil Collins, 14.68m and Michael Clarke, 14.29m, while the men’s long jump went to Aubrey Allen, 7.41m with Leonard Botia, 7.19m and Chevaughn Parkinson, 7.01m finishing second and third, respectively.

Patrick Kakozi Nyambe clocked 45.80 to win the Men’s 400m ahead of Demish Gaye, 46.03 and Javier Brown, 46.11.

Sada Williams, the Barbados 2022 World Championships bronze medal winner, took the women’s equivalent in 51.27, finishing ahead of Shiann Salmon, 52.20 and Jodean Williams, 53.39.

FRASER-PRYCE…I haven’t confirmed that [retirement], so when I do, I’ll let you know (Karl McLarty)

Ackeem Blake is victorious in his men’s 100m sprint at Velocity Fest 17 at the National Stadium yesterday. Blake won in 10.03 seconds. (Karl McLarty)