Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce had an obvious advantage over the other parents at her son’s school sports day but that didn’t prompt her to go easy on the field. The Jamaican athlete, who won gold in Beijing and London, tore the field to shreds – and not for the first time.
Fraser-Pryce won 100m gold in 2008 and 2012, and later won a 4×100 relay gold at the Tokyo games. She has also come out on top in the parents’ race, romping home in 2023 and continuing to show her speed.
“They haven’t banned me yet so I’m at the line,” she wrote in an Instagram caption, along with a pair of cry-laughing emojis. No other parent could get close to the 38-year-old, and with good reason.
Fraser-Pryce, who also won several World Championship golds during her career, holds a personal best of 10.60 seconds over 100 metres. She was never going to match that running on grass rather than an Olympic-standard track, but she didn’t need to.
Running talent appears to run in the family too. Her son Zyon, who is seven years old, won a race of his own with his champion mother sharing a podium photo.
Fraser-Pryce’s Paris Olympic campaign ended in heartbreak. She flew through her heat, but was forced to pull out through injury ahead of the semi-finals.
“I mean she’s 37, I feel embarrassed sitting here,” Team GB Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill said in the BBC studio after seeing the Jamaican run a time of 10.92. “We’re that age as well and we’re just sat here.
“She’s on fire and she’s very clever about the way she’s come into this season. She’s not raced a lot and she has obviously emphasised about the quality of what she’s doing, but she’s come here and run that time already so she’s in fantastic shape.”
“It is difficult for me to find the words to describe the depth of my disappointment,” Fraser-Pryce wrote on Instagram after her 2024 Olympics dream ended. “I know that my supporters share and shoulder this disappointment with me. …
“The support of my fans, my country and the larger community has rooted me in immense gratitude that has sustained me throughout my career. With every step and win, you all have been there for me. My faith has always affirmed my trust in the journey.”
Earlier this month, Fraser-Pryce shared a video on social media which ends with the words “unfinished business”. It appears to be an indication that she’ll return to the track for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, in what could end up being a farewell at the highest level.
The Kingston-born sprinter won her first World Championships gold in Berlin in 2009, triumphing in the 100m and the 4x100m relay. She also won individual golds in Moscow, Beijing, Doha and Eugene, and finished third in the 2023 final in Budapest.
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