KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- World athlete of the year Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has announced plans to compete in more 60m sprints as part of an overall effort to beat the 22 second time barrier in the 200m.
Fraser-Pryce, who ran three 60m events last season, is already targeting the short sprint at next year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland.
“I definitely see myself running more 60m next season,” said Fraser-Pryce, who capped a splendid 2013 season with Diamond League wins in the 100m and 200m.
“I enjoy it, I did three last season and it was very good.”
The Jamaican sprinter is eager to test herself on the indoor circuit over the shortest distance with the absence of the Olympic Games and outdoor World Championships from the 2014 calendar.
Fraser-Pryce made her first two 60m appearances at the Aviva Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham in February.
She competed again in the event five days later at the Stockholm XL Galan, posting her current personal best 7.04, making her the third-fastest Jamaican in the event behind Merlene Ottey (6.96) and Veronica Campbell-Brown (7.00).
“It’s an experience that I would love to have again,” she said.
“Next year is the World Indoors and I have never been to one of those so that’s on the agenda as well”.
Fraser-Pryce clocked a personal best 22.09 in the 200 m last year, an experimental year for her over the distance.
This year she ran in four 200m races peaking at 22.13 and plans to compete in more half laps next season in an effort to take her time below the 22 seconds barrier.
“Next year, we are working to do a lot more 200m than 100m, and that is to say that I want to make a mark and stamp my class in the 200m,” she said. “Last year, I said I needed to do more 200m, it makes my 100m better, way better than it was and for me, next year is just working more for the 200m; doing more strength and endurance work to get beyond that 22-second mark”.