There will be no fairytale ending in the 100m for athletics' sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The 37-year-old Jamaican, the Olympic champion in the event at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, withdrew prior to her semi-final on Saturday night (3 August) at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Fraser-Pryce was looking to claim a medal in the 100m for a fifth consecutive Games, having won bronze in 2016 and silver in 2021. Fraser-Pryce is still scheduled to run with the Jamaicans' 4x100m relay team.

Fraser-Pryce has won eight Olympic medals in total, including a third gold with the relay team at Tokyo 2020 in addition to her two 100m triumphs.

Two-time and reigning Olympic champion, Fraser-Pryce's compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah, did not make the trip to Paris after suffering an injury in May. That means the women's 100m will have a new champion for the first time since Athens 2004.

Unexpected Departure

The news of Fraser-Pryce's withdrawal sent shockwaves through the sporting world. A noise rippled through Stade de France on Saturday evening when, before a semifinal of the women’s 100 meters at the Paris Olympics, the lane belonging to Jamaican sprinting star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was unexpectedly left empty.

Fraser-Pryce, long the standard-bearer for the event after winning Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, bronze in 2016 and silver in 2021, did not start the race, a dropout that was not revealed publicly until her competitors stepped up to their starting blocks. No explanation was provided for her decision.

A String of Jamaican Withdrawals

This marked the second stunning withdrawal of a Jamaican star of these Olympics, after Shericka Jackson also withdrew from the 100 days earlier. Jackson will run the 200-meters. Fraser-Pryce’s Games aren’t necessarily over, as she remains eligible to run the 4x100-meter relay.

With Jackson and Fraser-Pryce out, and decorated Great Britain sprinter Dina Asher-Smith failing to advance out of the semifinal round, it further opened the door for U.S. star Sha’Carri Richardson to capture gold in her Olympic debut and reassert her control over the event, after Richardson won the world championship last year.

Richardson safely advanced to Saturday night’s final, though was beaten in her semifinal by Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.

The Search for Answers

The Jamaican team confirmed that Fraser-Pryce was one of several athletes that were blocked from entering the training track at a certain gate. The team said she was eventually let in. It did not say whether that played into her sudden scratch.

However, Fraser-Pryce's withdrawal came after reports emerged that both she and Richardson had trouble getting past security as they tried reaching the warmup track just outside the stadium. In a video posted to social media, Fraser-Pryce is seen explaining to someone why she’s being denied access to the warm-up area.

“She said they changed the rule yesterday,” Fraser-Pryce says in the video. “How you going to change the rule and then not say? So you’re asking all the athletes who, for whatever reason, don’t stay in the (athlete) village, they can’t come through the gate? We came through this gate yesterday and went through security and it was OK. They want us to go all the way up to where everybody is exiting … that’s crazy!”

Fraser-Pryce’s departure means the three Jamaicans who swept the podium in Tokyo are all out of this year’s 100. Reigning champion Elaine Thompson-Herah shut down her season earlier this year with an Achilles tendon injury, and bronze medalist Shericka Jackson announced this week that she was focusing on the 200.

The Race Goes On

While Fraser-Pryce’s Olympic journey ended prematurely, the race for the 100m gold continued. In the final later Saturday night, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred won gold in 10.72 seconds, followed by Richardson in 10.87 for silver. American Melissa Jefferson took the bronze in 10.92. Jamaica's Clayton was seventh.

Fraser-Pryce's remarkable Olympic resume began in 2008 when she made Jamaican Olympic history by becoming the first athlete from her country to win the 100. She's won Olympic medals in Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo and has eight overall.

Farewell, Shelly-Ann

While the circumstances surrounding her departure remain unclear, one thing is certain: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's impact on the world of sprinting is undeniable. She has left an indelible mark on the sport, inspiring generations of athletes with her unwavering commitment, athletic prowess, and infectious smile. As she moves on to the next chapter of her life, Fraser-Pryce's legacy as a true champion will undoubtedly continue to shine brightly.