Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce win the 200 m on 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow by Erik van Leeuwen
In the heart of Kingston, Jamaica, emerged a sprinting sensation, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Born on December 27, 1986, in Waterhouse, Kingston. Fraser-Pryce's journey to the pinnacle of track and field is nothing short of inspiring.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's rise to prominence in the track and field world was marked by her early accomplishments and determination. Despite her initial uncertainty about pursuing a career in track and field during her time at Wolmer's High School for Girls, she showcased her talent by competing in various championships, including the Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships, where she won a bronze medal in the 100m at just 16 years old. In 2002, she further proved her talent by winning the 200m title at the Jamaican Under-18 Championships and later contributed to Jamaica's junior team winning gold in the 4 × 100m relay at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships.
By age 20, Fraser-Pryce was competing at the senior national and international level in Japan, Hungary, Italy, and Stockholm, and these early successes laid the groundwork for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's remarkable journey to becoming one of the world's most renowned sprinters.
Fraser-Pryce's meteoric rise reached its zenith at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she clinched her first Olympic gold in the 100m, a feat she repeated at the 2012 London Olympics. However, it was at the 2013 World Championships that she etched her name in history, becoming the first woman to secure gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m in a single championship. At the World Championships in 2015, she became the second woman in history to defend a world 100 m title, and the first woman to win the title thrice. By the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Fraser-Pryce was the most decorated female sprinter with 100 m gold from the last two Olympics and three of the World Championships.
2022 World Athletics Championships Day 2 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce by Erik van Leeuwen
After a tough 2016 season due to health issues and a brief hiatus for motherhood in 2017, Fraser-Pryce made a triumphant return, capturing gold in the 2019 World Championships. Her Olympic legacy, adorned with six medals, includes silver and bronze from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she displayed unwavering speed and determination. Her fifth 100 m world title came in 2022, and she has since been applauded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.
Fraser-Pryce’s success has led to many conversations about gender inequality in sports, with many acknowledging the disparity in news coverage of Shelly-Ann’s success in comparison to her male counterparts. For example, CNN wrote that Fraser-Pryce had matched Usain Bolt “medal for medal over 100 m” at each world championship, but somehow this was not common knowledge. While she has described never feeling overshadowed herself, she remains an important figure in sports, bringing forth discussions about women athletes, gender inequality, motherhood, and more.
Beyond the track, Fraser-Pryce is a philanthropist and an inspirational figure for aspiring athletes, particularly young athletes. Her foundation, the Pocket Rocket Foundation, supports high school athletes in financial need. Her journey from humble beginnings to global stardom serves as a beacon of hard work and resilience.
