Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce facts for kids

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The Honourable
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
OJ, CD, OD

Fraser-Pryce in 2015 after winning her third 100 m world title.
Personal information
Birth name	Shelly-Ann Fraser
Born	(1986-12-27) 27 December 1986 (age 38) Kingston, Jamaica
Height	1.52 m
Weight	52 kg
Sport
Country	Jamaica
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	60 m, 100 m, 200 m
Club	Elite Performance Track Club (2020–2024) MVP Track Club (2006–2020)
Coached by	Reynaldo Walcott (2020–2024) Stephen Francis (2006–2020)
Achievements and titles
World finals	2007 Osaka 4x100 m, 2 Silver 2009 Berlin 100 m, 1 Gold 4x100 m, 1 Gold 2011 Daegu 100 m, 4th 4x100 m, 2 Silver 2013 Moscow 100 m, 1 Gold 200 m, 1 Gold 4x100 m, 1 Gold 2015 Beijing 100 m, 1 Gold 4x100 m, 1 Gold 2019 Doha 100 m, 1 Gold 4x100 m, 1 Gold 2022 Eugene 100 m, 1 Gold 200 m, 2 Silver 4x100 m, 2 Silver 2023 Budapest 100 m, 3 Bronze 4x100 m, 2 Silver
Olympic finals	2008 Beijing 100 m, 1 Gold 2012 London 100 m, 1 Gold 200 m, 2 Silver 4x100 m, 2 Silver 2016 Rio 100 m, 3 Bronze 4x100 m, 2 Silver 2020 Tokyo 100 m, 2 Silver 4x100 m, 1 Gold
Highest world ranking	100 m: 1st (2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022) 200 m: 1st (2013)
Personal best(s)	60 m: 6.98 s (2014) 100 m: 10.60 s (2021) 200 m: 21.79 s (2021)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 3 4 1 World Championships 10 5 1 World Indoor Championships 1 0 0 World Athletics Final 1 1 0 Pan American Games 1 0 0 Commonwealth Games 1 0 0 CARIFTA Games Junior (U20) 1 0 1 CAC Junior Championships (U17) 1 0 0 Women's athletics Representing  Jamaica Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m Gold 2012 London 100 m Gold 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m relay Silver 2012 London 200 m Silver 2012 London 4×100 m relay Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m relay Silver 2020 Tokyo 100 m Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro 100 m World Athletics Championships Gold 2009 Berlin 100 m Gold 2009 Berlin 4×100 m relay Gold 2013 Moscow 100 m Gold 2013 Moscow 200 m Gold 2013 Moscow 4×100 m relay Gold 2015 Beijing 100 m Gold 2015 Beijing 4×100 m relay Gold 2019 Doha 100 m Gold 2019 Doha 4×100 m relay Gold 2022 Eugene 100 m Silver 2007 Osaka 4×100 m relay Silver 2011 Daegu 4×100 m relay Silver 2022 Eugene 200 m Silver 2022 Eugene 4×100 m relay Silver 2023 Budapest 4×100 m relay Bronze 2023 Budapest 100 m World Athletics Indoor Championships Gold 2014 Sopot 60 m World Athletics Final Gold 2008 Stuttgart 100 m Silver 2009 Thessaloniki 100 m World Athletics Relays Bronze 2014 Nassau 4×200 m relay Bronze 2019 Yokohama 4×200 m relay Diamond League 2012 100 m 2013 100 m 2013 200 m 2015 100 m 2022 100 m Pan American Games Gold 2019 Lima 200 m Commonwealth Games Gold 2014 Glasgow 4×100 m relay Athletics World Cup Silver 2018 London 4×100 m relay NACAC Championships Silver 2018 Toronto 4×100 m relay

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (born December 27, 1986) is a Jamaican track and field sprinter. She competes in races like the 60 meters, 100 m, and 200 m. Many people consider her one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has had a very long and successful career, lasting over 15 years. Her amazing wins, especially in big championships, helped make Jamaican sprinting famous. In the 100 m, her best race, she has won two Olympic gold medals and five world championship titles. She has also won gold and silver medals in the 200 m at the World Championships, plus an Olympic silver medal.

She has won eight Olympic medals in total. She became famous at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. There, she was the first woman from the Caribbean to win gold in the 100 m. At the 2012 London Olympics, she made history by being the third woman to win the Olympic 100 m title twice. Even after an injury, she won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Thirteen years after her first Olympic win, she won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This made her the most decorated 100 m sprinter in Olympic history.

At the World Athletics Championships, which happen every two years, Fraser-Pryce is one of the most successful athletes ever. She has won ten gold, five silver, and one bronze medal. She is the only sprinter to win five world titles in the 100 m (in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022). Her win in 2019 made her the first mother in 24 years to win a global 100 m title. In 2022, at age 35, she became the oldest sprinter ever to be a world champion. In 2013, she was the first woman to win the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m relay at the same World Championship. She was also named the IAAF World Athlete of the Year. In 2014, she won the 60 m world indoor title. This made her the first female athlete to hold world titles in all four sprint events at the same time.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a very strong force in women's sprinting. She has won more individual world sprint titles than any other female sprinter. She is also the most decorated 100 m sprinter of all time. People call her the "pocket rocket" because she is small but has very fast starts. Her personal best time of 10.60 seconds makes her the third fastest woman ever. In 2022, CBC Sports called her the greatest 100 m sprinter of all time. Many others describe her as the greatest female sprinter in history. In 2023, she won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.

Biography

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Shelly-Ann Fraser was born in Waterhouse, Kingston, Jamaica. Her mother, Maxine Simpson, raised her and her two brothers. Her mother was a street vendor and a former athlete. Shelly-Ann was a talented sprinter from a young age. She started running barefoot in primary school.

During her time at Wolmer's High School for Girls, she was not sure about a career in track and field. Still, she was active in youth athletics. She competed in the famous "Champs" (Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships). At 16, she won a bronze medal in the 100 m. In 2002, she won the 200 m title at the Jamaican Under-18 Championships. Later that year, she helped the Jamaican junior team win gold in the 4 × 100 m relay. This was at the Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Barbados. At the 2005 CARIFTA Games, she won bronze in the 100 m. She also earned a gold medal with the 4 × 100 m relay team.

In 2006, Fraser-Pryce started studying at the University of Technology, Jamaica. There, she met Stephen Francis, a coach at the MVP Track Club. He had coached famous sprinters like Asafa Powell. At first, Shelly-Ann was not very focused. She was often late for practice. Sometimes, she would not finish her workouts. She worried she would become too muscular.

Shelly-Ann started to succeed in senior competitions in 2007. At age 20, she finished fifth in the 100 m at the Jamaican National Senior Championships. She set a new personal best time of 11.31 s. This finish meant she could not compete in the 100 m at the 2007 Osaka World Championships. However, she was chosen as a reserve for Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team. She wanted to gain experience. She competed in Europe and had good results. She won the 100 m at the Meeting Terra Sarda in Italy. She also won at the Stockholm DN-Galan.

At the World Championships in September, Fraser-Pryce ran only in the relay heats. Her team placed second. She later won a silver medal when the Jamaican team finished behind the United States in the 4 × 100 m relay final. This experience in Osaka boosted her confidence. It changed her attitude towards athletics and made her more focused.

2008: First Olympic Gold Medal

Fraser-Pryce's big breakthrough happened in 2008. It was very sudden. At the Jamaican Olympic trials in June, she surprisingly finished second in the 100 m final. She ran her first time under 11 seconds, clocking 10.85 s. Kerron Stewart won the national title, and Sherone Simpson was third. This completed the Olympic team for the event. However, many people thought Shelly-Ann was too new for the Olympics. They wanted Veronica Campbell-Brown, a famous sprinter, to take her place. But the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) stuck to its rule. Only the top three finishers could be on the team. Fraser-Pryce was not bothered by this. She saw being an underdog as an advantage. She said, "I went in just wanting to do well. So there was no pressure."

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Fraser-Pryce competed against top American sprinters. She won her heat, quarterfinal, and semifinal races. In the 100 m final, she led a Jamaican sweep of the medals. Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart both won silver. She became the first woman from the Caribbean to win 100 m gold at the Olympics. Her winning time of 10.78 s was very fast. It was the second fastest in Olympic history at the time. Jamaica also made history with the first-ever sweep of medals in a women's 100 m at any Olympics or world championships.

In the 4 × 100 m relay, Fraser-Pryce ran the first part of the race. The Jamaican team won their heat. But in the final, they had a problem with the baton exchange. This led to their disqualification. After the Olympics, Fraser-Pryce continued to win races in Europe. She ended her season by winning 100 m gold at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final.

2009: First World Title

In 2009, Fraser-Pryce showed she was a true champion. She won 100 m gold at the 2009 Berlin World Championships. Her early season was tough due to an injury and surgery. In June, she won her first 100 m national title at the Jamaican Championships. She ran a world-leading time of 10.88 s.

At the World Championships in August, Fraser-Pryce got into top form. In the 100 m final, she had an incredibly fast start. She held off Kerron Stewart to win her first world title. Her new personal best was 10.73 s. This made her the joint third fastest woman in history at the time. She also broke Merlene Ottey's Jamaican record. With this win, she became the second woman to hold both the Olympic and world 100 m titles at the same time. She was very excited about her achievement. Days later, she won a second gold medal. She was part of Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team.

2010–2011: Challenges and Return

In June 2010, Fraser-Pryce faced a challenge. She received a six-month suspension from athletics. This was because a test showed a substance in her sample. She explained it was due to medication for a toothache. She had forgotten to declare it properly. She took responsibility for the mistake. She returned to competition in January 2011.

Fraser-Pryce married Jason Pryce in January 2011. She changed her name to Fraser-Pryce. Her 2011 season started late due to a calf injury. She finished fourth at the Prefontaine Classic in June. She later won a race in Italy.

Before the 2011 World Championships in South Korea, she was not seen as a favorite. In the world 100 m final, she started fast but finished fourth. She missed a medal by a tiny amount. Later, she helped Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team win silver. They set a new national record.

2012: Defending Olympic 100 m Title

2012 Olympic 100 m medal ceremony: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (gold), Carmelita Jeter (silver), Veronica Campbell-Brown (bronze).

Since her first Olympic win in 2008, Fraser-Pryce was a key part of the Jamaica vs. USA sprinting rivalry. Jamaica had won many sprint medals at the Beijing Olympics. This success continued in 2009 and 2011. During Fraser-Pryce's tough period in 2010-2011, American sprinter Carmelita Jeter became very strong in the 100 m. Fraser-Pryce later said Jeter was one of her toughest rivals.

The 2012 season was very successful for Shelly-Ann. In June, she won both the 100 m and 200 m at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. In the 100 m, she set a new personal best and world lead of 10.70 s. This broke her own national record. In the 200 m, she beat Veronica Campbell-Brown. She ran a personal best of 22.10 s. She was also finishing her college degree at this time.

At the Olympics in London, Fraser-Pryce won her 100 m heat and semifinal. In the 100 m final, she had the quickest start. She won a close race to defend her title. Her time was 10.75 s. This was the second fastest in Olympic history at the time. She became the third woman to win the Olympic 100 m title twice. Days later, in the 200 m final, she ran a personal best of 22.09 s. She won a silver medal. She also won a second silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay. The Jamaican team set a new national record.

Jamaica had a great performance in athletics at the 2012 Olympics. Fraser-Pryce kept her 100 m title. Usain Bolt also continued his winning streak. After the Olympics, Fraser-Pryce won the 100 m title at the 2012 Diamond League.

2013: Triple Gold and Top Athlete Award

In 2013, Fraser-Pryce became the first woman to win the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m at the same World Championships.

In 2013, Fraser-Pryce continued to show how consistent she was. She became the first woman to win gold in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m relay at one World Championship. Usain Bolt did the same in the men's events. This gave Jamaica a clean sweep of sprint gold medals. Fraser-Pryce said her success came from focusing more on her career. She also had a new training plan for the 200 m. She won several Diamond League races.

Before the Moscow World Championship, Fraser-Pryce was expected to win both the 100 m and 200 m. In Moscow, she was excellent in her 100 m races. In the 100 m final, she started very fast. She won gold in a world-leading 10.71 s. She won by a large margin. This was the biggest win in World Championship history. She became the first woman to win the 100 m twice at both the Olympics and the World Championships.

In the world 200 m final, she won her first global title in this event. She ran 22.17 s. Later, she helped Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team win a third world title. They set a new championship record.

Fraser-Pryce had the three fastest 100 m times and two fastest 200 m times in 2013. She won many Diamond League races. She won the Diamond League titles for both events. Because of her great achievements, she was named the IAAF World Athlete of the Year. She was the second Jamaican woman to win this award.

2014: World Indoor Champion and Injury

In 2014, Fraser-Pryce became the first woman to hold world titles at 60 m, 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m at the same time.

After a great 2013, Fraser-Pryce competed at the World Indoor Championships in Poland in March 2014. She ran 7.11 s in a 60 m race in Kingston. She decided to compete indoors to prepare for her outdoor season.

In Poland, she won her heat and semifinal. In the 60 m final, she had her usual fast start. She finished first in a world-leading 6.98 s. This was the fastest time at the championships since 1999. It was also the seventh fastest in history at the time. By winning gold, she became the first woman to hold world titles in the 60 m, 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m at the same time. This was her last indoor competition until 2020.

There were no major outdoor championships in 2014. In the Diamond League, she won the 100 m in Doha. However, she struggled with shin splints for the rest of the season. This led to poor results. She had to withdraw from some events. She competed in the 4 × 200 m relay at the IAAF World Relays. The Jamaican team finished third.

In July, she ran in the Glasgow Grand Prix. She finished second in the 100 m. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she only ran in the 4 × 100 m relay. She helped the Jamaican team win gold.

2015: Third 100 m World Title

Fraser-Pryce (right), winning the world 100 m final against Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers (centre) and Tori Bowie of the U.S.

In 2015, Fraser-Pryce chose not to defend her 200 m title at the Beijing World Championships. She wanted to focus only on the 100 m. She explained that her coach felt she had lost some of her explosive starts. She wanted to improve her technique for the 100 m. She ran only two 200 m races that year. In the 100 m, she started the season strong. She set an early world lead of 10.81 s. She later improved it to 10.74 s in Paris.

In 2015, Fraser-Pryce (center) became the second woman to defend a world 100 m title, and the first woman to win the title three times.

At the World Championships in August, Fraser-Pryce ran very well. In the 100 m final, she had her famous fast start. She won her third world title in 10.76 s. This added to her wins in Berlin (2009) and Moscow (2013). Her winning time was the second fastest in the world for 2015. With this win, Fraser-Pryce became the second woman to defend a 100 m world title. She also became the first woman to win the title three times. This matched the achievements of Usain Bolt and others. Her victory happened at the same stadium where she won her first Olympic gold in 2008.

Days after her historic win, Fraser-Pryce helped the women's 4 × 100 m relay team win gold. Their time of 41.07 s was the second fastest in history. It also broke the previous championship record.

Fraser-Pryce had a dominant season. She won ten of her eleven 100 m races in 2015. She finished her season by winning the Diamond League 100 m title for the third time.

2016: Injury and Rio Olympics

Fraser-Pryce was the flag bearer for Jamaica at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

By 2016, Fraser-Pryce was the most successful female sprinter in the 100 m. She had won two Olympic golds and three World Championship titles. For the 2016 Rio Olympics, she aimed to win an amazing third straight Olympic 100 m title. However, her season was tough. She suffered from a toe injury that caused pain. This made it hard to train and compete. She had to withdraw from several events.

In the weeks before the Olympics, Fraser-Pryce struggled to get back in form. Meanwhile, her training partner Elaine Thompson became a top contender. In July, Thompson ran a world-leading 10.70 s. She beat Fraser-Pryce at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. Thompson also tied Fraser-Pryce's 100 m national record.

At the Olympics in Rio, Fraser-Pryce ran her season's best time in the semifinal. She qualified for the final. But she was clearly in pain after the race. In the 100 m final, she had a quick start. She finished in 10.86 s, winning the bronze medal. Thompson won gold, and Tori Bowie won silver. Even though she did not win gold, Fraser-Pryce was very proud of her bronze medal. She called it her "greatest ever." She also won a silver medal with the women's 4 × 100 m relay team.

After the Olympics, Fraser-Pryce briefly stopped working with her longtime coach Stephen Francis. She was not happy with her Olympic preparation. But they later reconciled, and she returned to training with him.

2017–2018: Motherhood and Comeback

In early 2017, Fraser-Pryce announced she was pregnant. She would not compete at the 2017 World Championships. She gave birth to her son, Zyon, in August 2017. Many people thought she might retire after becoming a mother. But she promised a big comeback. She started training again within eleven weeks. Her early training was very hard. She needed special bandages because of her C-section. She often had to stop due to pain. Sometimes, she wondered if she could ever return to her best.

Fraser-Pryce returned to the track in May 2018. She won a 100 m race in Kingston. She later ran faster times in other meets. She called herself the "mommy rocket." Motherhood changed her outlook and gave her new motivation. One of her biggest challenges was rebuilding her core strength. This was important for her explosive starts. In July 2018, she finally ran under 11 seconds. She won the London Grand Prix in 10.98 s. She also helped the Jamaican team win silver in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2018 Athletics World Cup. In August, she won silver in the 4 × 100 m relay at the Toronto NACAC Championships.

2019: Fourth 100 m World Title

After returning from maternity leave, Fraser-Pryce won an amazing fourth 100 m world title in 10.71 s, becoming the fastest mother in history.

After her 2018 season, Fraser-Pryce made good progress in 2019. At the Jamaican Championships in June, she finished second to Elaine Thompson in both the 100 m and 200 m. In the 100 m final, both sprinters ran 10.73 s. This was the first time two women finished under 10.75 s in one race.

Fraser-Pryce returned to the top of women's sprinting for the rest of 2019. She ran very close to her personal best times in the 100 m. She had three of the five fastest times of the year. In August, she won 200 m gold at the 2019 Pan American Games. She set a new championship record. She and Thompson did not race again until the 2019 Doha World Championships. This was a highly anticipated race.

In Doha, Fraser-Pryce ran very fast in the 100 m heats and semifinal. In the 100 m final, she started strong and won her fourth title. She ran a world-leading 10.71 s. This was her fastest time since 2013. Her teammate Elaine Thompson finished fourth. This was the first time Fraser-Pryce had beaten Thompson in their races. With this win, Fraser-Pryce became the oldest woman and first mother since 1995 to win a 100 m world title. She was very happy about her win. She called it "a victory for motherhood." She even brought her two-year-old son on her victory lap. Days later, she won another gold medal. She ran the second part of the Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team. This was her ninth world title overall.

2020–2021: New Coach and Tokyo Olympics

Fraser-Pryce started her 2020 season in February. She won the 60 m at an indoor event. This was her first indoor competition since 2014. The rest of her 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Olympics were postponed to 2021. In August 2020, she ran fast 100 m times in local meets. She ended her season as the second fastest of the year.

In May 2020, Fraser-Pryce started training with a new coach, Reynaldo Walcott. He had worked with her previous coach.

Fraser-Pryce began her 2021 season in late May. She finished fourth at a meet in England. Days later, she won the Doha Diamond League. On June 5, 2021, she ran a new personal best and Jamaican record of 10.63 s. This made her the fastest woman alive at the time. Her 10.63 s time was the quickest 100 m in over 33 years. She was very excited. At the Jamaican Olympic Trials, she won the 100 m title. She also won the 200 m national title. She set a new personal best of 21.79 s.

In the Olympic 100 m final, Jamaica swept the medals. Fraser-Pryce finished second behind Elaine Thompson-Herah. Thompson-Herah set a new Olympic and national record. By winning her fourth straight Olympic medal in the 100 m, Fraser-Pryce set a new record for medals in the event. In the 200 m final, she placed fourth. In the 4 × 100 m relay final, Jamaica won gold. They set a new national record.

At the Lausanne Diamond League in August, Fraser-Pryce ran a new 100 m personal best of 10.60 s. This was the third fastest time ever at the time. She beat Thompson-Herah. Fraser-Pryce said, "Believe it or not I still have not run my best race."

2022: Fifth 100 m World Title

Fraser-Pryce has won seven 100 m titles between the Olympics and World Championships, more than anyone else in this event.

By 2022, many of Fraser-Pryce's old rivals had retired. But Jamaica still led in women's sprinting. The rivalry between Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah became very exciting. Their performances made people talk about the long-standing world records.

Fraser-Pryce at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

At the start of 2021, Fraser-Pryce thought about retiring after the Tokyo Olympics. But after setting new personal bests, she decided to keep going. In 2022, at 35 years old, she chose her races carefully. She started her season in May. She ran a world-leading 10.67 s. This was the fastest season opener ever for a female sprinter. She also won the 200 m in May. In June, she ran 10.67 s again. At the Jamaican Championships, she skipped the final. She already qualified for the World Championships as the defending champion. In the 200 m, she finished third.

At the World Athletics Championships in July, Fraser-Pryce led another Jamaican sweep of the medals. She won a record-extending fifth 100 m title. Her winning time of 10.67 s was her fastest in a global final. It broke the championship record. The race was one of the fastest in World Championships history. Seven of the eight finalists ran under 11 seconds. Fraser-Pryce's win came almost 14 years after her first 100 m title. This made her the oldest world champion in any individual track event. In the world 200 m final, she won silver. In the 4 × 100 m relay final, the U.S. team beat Jamaica for gold.

After the World Championships, Fraser-Pryce continued her great form. She ran a new world-leading 10.66 s in Poland. Two days later, she ran 10.67 s in Hungary. On August 10, she lowered her world lead again to 10.62 s. She ran three races under 10.70 s in five days. She had to withdraw from one race due to a hamstring issue. She finished her season at the Diamond League final. She won her fourth 100 m Diamond trophy.

Fraser-Pryce ended the season as the number-one female athlete across all sports. She ran 100 m times of 10.62, 10.65, 10.66, 10.67 (four times), and 10.70 s. She recorded the eight fastest times of the year. She is the first woman to run under 10.70 s seven times in one season. She has done it nine times in her career. No other woman has run under 10.70 s more than four times. In the 200 m, she had two of the ten fastest times of the year.

2023: Injuries and World 100 m Bronze

Fraser-Pryce winning the 100 m semi-final at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships.

For her amazing 2022 season, Fraser-Pryce won the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards for Sportswoman of the Year. She was supposed to start her 2023 season in April. But she withdrew due to a family emergency. In early May, she suffered a knee injury during warmups. She had to leave Kenya for treatment. She stayed out of competition for several months. She started her season at the Jamaican Championships in July. As the defending world 100 m champion, she already qualified for the 2023 World Championships. She only competed in the 200 m at the Jamaican Championships. She finished second.

Fraser-Pryce opened her 100 m season on July 20. She ran 10.82 s in Switzerland. On July 22, she ran 10.83 s in Madrid. She entered the Budapest World Championships with only two 100 m races for the year. She was still a main medal contender.

At the World Championships, Fraser-Pryce won her heat and semifinal. In the world 100 m final, she finished in a season's best 10.77 s. She won the bronze medal. Shericka Jackson won silver, and Sha'Carri Richardson won gold. In the 4×100 m final, Fraser-Pryce got a hamstring injury. But she kept going to complete the baton change. She helped the Jamaican team win silver. Due to her injuries, Fraser-Pryce had to end her season after the Budapest World Championships.

2024: Paris Olympics

Fraser-Pryce finished second in her 100m heat at the Paris Olympics.

In 2023, Fraser-Pryce said she would no longer compete in the 200 m. She wanted to focus on the 100 m. In February 2024, the 37-year-old announced that the Paris Olympics would be her last Olympics.

She had a long-standing knee injury. She stayed out of competition for most of the year. In mid-June, she started her season in Kingston. She won the 100 m in 11.15 s. She showed better form at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. She ran 10.94 s to get a spot for her fifth Olympics.

In Paris, Fraser-Pryce finished second in her 100 m heat. She withdrew from her 100 m semi-final. This was due to an injury during her warmup.

Legacy and Achievements

Fraser-Pryce at the 2015 BAUHAUS-galan Diamond League in Stockholm.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is known as one of the greatest sprinters ever. In 2022, a British sports radio station ranked her as the greatest female sprinter of the 21st century. They also called her the fourth greatest overall female athlete. The Olympic Channel called her "the most successful female sprinter in history." Track & Field News ranked her number one in the world for the 100 m many times. They also ranked her as the top female 100 m sprinter of the 2010s. Sean Ingle of The Guardian said she has a "legitimate claim to be considered the greatest ever." In 2019, she was on BBC's list of 100 inspiring women. In 2020, World Athletics put her on their list of the 10 greatest comebacks in track and field.

Fraser-Pryce with her Diamond League trophy in 2013. She has won the trophy five times.

Fraser-Pryce is praised for how consistent she is in big championships. She is also known for her long career. Out of 10 Olympic or World 100 m titles she competed in, she won seven gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. She missed a global 100 m medal only once. In the 200 m, she won gold and silver at the World Championships. She also won an Olympic silver medal. Her former coach said she "mastered the trick of staying good." Sports journalist Morgan Campbell said her long career is due to talent, coaching, and better sports science.

As of September 2022, Fraser-Pryce has run the most times under 10.70 s (nine times). She also has the most times under 10.80 s (31 times) and under 10.90 s (53 times). She has run under 11 seconds 78 times. She has won all her global championship titles with times under 10.80 s. In one season, she ran under 10.70 s seven times in 2022. This is more than any other woman. With her personal best of 10.60 s, she is the third fastest woman of all time. She is also the fastest mother in history. In 2019, she became the fourth mother to win a global 100 m title. With her fifth world title, Fraser-Pryce has more 100 m World Championship titles than Usain Bolt.

Even with her success, her fame was often less than Usain Bolt's. News outlets pointed out that she matched Bolt's medals but was not as well-known. Fraser-Pryce said she never felt overshadowed. She also noted that women's sprint times are not as fast as men's. This might make the event seem less exciting to some. In 2019, sports writer Steve Keating said Fraser-Pryce was the new face of athletics. He said her return after having a son added to her legacy.

In 2019, Fraser-Pryce wrote a children's book called I Am a Promise. It shares life lessons she learned growing up as an athlete.

Awards and Recognition

In 2008, Fraser-Pryce received the Order of Distinction for her achievements. In October 2018, a statue of her was put up at the Jamaica National Stadium. The Minister of Sports called her a role model and a "modern-day hero." In 2022, her Order of Distinction was upgraded to Order of Jamaica. This was for her outstanding performance in athletics. In December 2022, the school she attended was renamed The Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Early Childhood Institution.

She has won many awards in Jamaica. She won the JAAA's Golden Cleats Award for Female Athlete of the Year four times. She also won the Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year award five times.

On the international stage, she won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year in 2023. She was also nominated several other times. After winning three gold medals at the 2013 World Championships, she was named IAAF World Female Athlete of the Year. She was the first Jamaican woman to win it since 1990. In December 2019, she won Best Female Athlete at the first Panam Sports Awards.

Technique and Running Style

Fraser-Pryce (centre) winning the 100 m at the BAUHAUS-galan Diamond League in 2015.

Under her coaches, Fraser-Pryce improved her running technique. She said her technique did not come naturally. When she started, she leaned too far forward. Her coach helped her improve her posture and her start. She became more confident in her technique. She said, "I focus on nailing each phase properly."

Fraser-Pryce is famous for her explosive starts. This earned her the nickname "Pocket Rocket." Her style is to "bolt to the lead" very quickly. Then she "maintains her position through to the finish." Experts say her starting technique is "devastating." One sports writer said her ability to move her legs in the first five meters is amazing. In her 2009 world 100 m final, she ran the first 30 m in 4.02 s. This is very fast. Another sprinter said Shelly-Ann was "several steps ahead of me before I had even cleared the blocks." Fraser-Pryce believes her strength is after 30 meters. She says her "turnovers are very quick." In her 2019 world 100 m final, she covered the first 60 m in 6.81 s. This was the fastest 60 m split of all time.

Fraser-Pryce is just over 5 feet tall. She is smaller than most female sprinters. She remembers people saying she was too short to run fast. She is a stride rate runner. This means she uses a high number of steps per minute. She takes about 50 strides to complete the 100 m. Her fastest stride frequency happens between 20 and 40 m.

After changing coaches in 2020, Fraser-Pryce made small changes to her technique. This helped her improve her personal best times. Before, she focused on her starts and high stride frequency. Her new coach helped her improve her endurance and stride length. These changes made her more confident and patient in her races.

Personal Life

In November 2012, Fraser-Pryce graduated from the University of Technology. She earned a degree in Child and Adolescent Development. In 2016, she decided to study for a Master of Science degree. She is a committed Christian. She married Jason Pryce in 2011. In early 2017, she announced her pregnancy. She wrote on Facebook that she was focused on being the best mother. On August 7, 2017, she and her husband welcomed their son, Zyon.

Sponsorships and Charities

Fraser-Pryce has sponsorship deals with companies like Digicel, GraceKennedy, and Nike. Nike even made videos about her training for the 2016 Olympics.

Fraser-Pryce supports many good causes. In February 2010, she became the first UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for Jamaica. That year, she also became a Grace Goodwill Ambassador for Peace. She works with Grace Foods and PALS (Peace and Love in Society). She also started the Pocket Rocket Foundation. This foundation helps high school athletes who need financial support.

She is known for often changing her hairstyle during track season. In 2013, she opened her own hair salon called Chic Hair Ja.

Career Statistics

Personal Bests

All information taken from World Athletics profile.

Season's Best and Rankings

Season's best 60 m, 100 m and 200 m times, with 100 and 200 m world ranking in brackets (top 20 only) and personal bests bolded.

Images for kids

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  Fraser-Pryce celebrates after winning the 100 m at the 2008 World Athletics Final.

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  Fraser-Pryce (centre) in the 2009 world 100 m final. At 22 years old, her winning time of 10.73 s made her the joint third fastest woman in history (at the time).

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  L-R: Carmelita Jeter, Fraser-Pryce and Kelly-Ann Baptiste competing in the 100 m at the Athletissima Diamond League.