Gareth Manning, Staff Reporter

Maxine Simpson (background left), mother of Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser, celebrates her daughter's victory in the 100m Olympic final yesterday. Sharing in Fraser's triumph are aunt Althea Simpson (background right), grandmother Elizabeth Simpson (foreground right) and brother Andrew (foreground). - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

THE ZINC fences and pothole-filled roads in Waterhouse, west central St Andrew, belie the great achievement of one of its own, Shelly-Ann Fraser.

The sprinter became the first woman in Jamaican history to win gold in the 100 metres at the Olympic Games.

Fans in her hometown claimed gold for the 21-year-old long before the race began.

"A gold she a get. Nutten more, nutten less," one woman resident declared.

Great expectations

Mother, Maxine Simpson, was less confident, believing com-patriot Kerron Stewart would outrun Fraser.

"Me look fi her get the silver, but me just want the one-two-three fi Jamaica. But if she ever get a good start, she will win," she said. And she was right.

At 9:20 a.m., the family huddled in front of the TV in a small bedroom.

"Lord, give my daughter strength and give the team strength, dear Lord," she prayed as the racers settled into the blocks.

The highly anticipated final starts.

"Push out, Baby, push out! Do it for Jesus!"

Celebratory tremor

Just 10.78 seconds later, the race was over. The one-room board structure erupted, everything - even a pot of rice and peas on the stove - rattled by the celebratory tremor.

"Mi cyaa cook again!" Fraser's mother exclaims.

"She win! 1-2-3, 1-2-3!" shouted Shelly-Ann's younger brother, Andrew Fraser, as the Jamaicans crossed the finish line. Information emerged soon after that Stewart and Sherone Simpson had actually tied for second.

Even the dogs in the yard were in a frenzy.

"Me go down pon mi knee and me tell you she did set out fi get the gold," her aunt, Juliet Simpson, said. "She win! She win! She take we out of sufferation."

Her mother chimed in: "Mi thank Him (God) fi this. Him give mi such a brilliant child."

The pandemonium in the house spread to the streets as residents clanged pots and pans to signal the victory. Firecrackers rounded out the celebration.

"Mi feel perfect. Gold mi was looking for and mi never expect less," said Shelly-Ann's father, Orane Fraser. Her grandfather, Rupert, said Shelly-Ann had assured him ahead of the final that she would win.

Her church, the Penwood Church of Christ, was not left out of the memorable moment. Residents stormed the church with pot covers and pans, transforming the worship service into a thanksgiving party.

Fraser has been attending the church since she was 12 years old.

"Good things come from Waterhouse too, you know," church elder Ralph Walker said. "It's not just the negative things that you see in the news."

gareth.manning@gleanerjm.com