by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is the hottest sprint ticket before the world championships next month in Tokyo, the American athlete who has struck a form of puffy form at the right time.
The 24-year-old has become the first woman since 2003 winning the double 100-200m at the American tests earlier this month.
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Her personal record of 10.65 seconds in the 100m, making her the fifth fifth in history, is the head of the world, which means that she will go to the Japanese capital with a target on her back also won her eight races in the Blue Riband event this year.
“I do not see it that way. I don’t feel the pressure to be preferred,” said Jefferson-Wooden before meeting the Diamond League on Friday in Brussels.
“Even if I have the fastest moments, I do not have the distinctions – I am” only “the Parisian bronze medalist. I have no Olympic or global title to defend. It is much more pressure.”
Jefferson-Wooden is a bit unusual in that it did not attend a high-level college, the native of Georgetown, in South Carolina, rather attending the small coastal university of Caroline.
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This did not prevent him from sealing prestigious NCAA titles per 100m outside and at 60m inside.
“I also grew up in a small town, so being the oppressed, or facing adversity and not having access to all other resources that the largest schools and other cities can have, it is nothing new to me,” she said.
“That’s who I am. This is what pushes me to be the person I am at the moment.
“I cherish and admire and admire the journey I made, but I am absolutely in love with this because … Anyway, anything, everything that can have to say, I am built for that.”
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– Be the best Melissa –
Jefferson-Wooden will be against the legend of the Jamaican sprint Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Brussels.
“I just met her in the hotel restaurant and she congratulated me on all my fast times this year,” she said about 38-year-old Jamaican, who has three Olympic gold medals and 10 in her name.
“I thought it was really cool.” I just want to be like you, “I told her. She has been running these moments for years.”
Jefferson-Wooden added: “It is crazy to see how life loops. Three years ago, the meeting of the Silesia Diamond League was my first professional athlete.
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“Shelly-Ann actually ran and for me to come three years later (last week in Chorzow) and the connection of her meeting record was really like” OK, I think I do the things that I am supposed to do “.”
Seeing in narrow districts how much Fraser-Pry has dominated that the 2022 season “did nothing but motivate me to be at least half of the person or half of the woman she was for our sport,” said Jefferson-Wooden.
“It’s very, very inspiring for me,” she said, adding, however, that she was not sure if she could reflect Jamaican longevity.
“I thought I wanted to run so long, but the more I get older, so I don’t know if I want to do that. I’m just going to continue to mount this train and see how long it lasts.
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“I am also very grateful to be able to share a scene with her.”
Fraser-Pryce labeled Jefferson-Wooden “Fantastic”.
“She has already run 10.65 this year,” she said. “I know what it does to do 10.6, and I know the kind of work you need to devote to execute 10.6.”
Jefferson-Wooden has put its improved form in the discipline.
“I don’t want to have any regrets,” she said. “I want to be able to say that when we arrive at the world championships, I gave him everything I had, I did the best job I could do and was the best Melissa that I can be.”
LP / DMC
