Multiple World and Olympic medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce this morning conveyed her displeasure at the manner in which members of the country’s male team are being criticised by supporters because of their underwhelming performances at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Since the retirement of the legendary Usain Bolt in 2017, the general perception has been that the country’s dominance in male sprinting has deteriorated. The fact that none of the men qualified for 100m final — the first time in many years — added impetus to that view.

Sprint hurdlers Hansle Parchment and Ronald Levy, who won gold and bronze, respectively, are the only two men to medal so far at the Games.

However, Fraser-Pryce, who won silver in the 100m last Saturday and gold this morning in the 4X100m relay, came out in defence of her male counterparts.

She reminded Jamaicans of the physical, mental and emotional workload athletes bear to represent the country at the highest level.

“All the Jamaicans who are beating the men and cussing them and [the] negative comments,  you need to stop it. It takes a lot of guts and hard work year to year to come out here and represent,” Fraser-Pryce said after the women’s sprint relay gold medal performance.

She joined Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Williams in clocking a new national record of 41.02 seconds.

Meanwhile, the men’s team had a slight hiccup on the first exchange and finished outside the medals in 37.84s.

“A lot of persons competing at these Games are going home without making the final. We were in the final, so we need to start celebrating the men because their time is coming. We don’t want no wagonist so support the men,” Fraser-Pryce urged.