Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
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
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 Bronze 2025 Guangzhou 4×100 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 is a famous Jamaican track and field sprinter. She competes in short races like the 60 m, 100 m, and 200 m. Many people consider her one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

Shelly-Ann's career has lasted for over 15 years, from the late 2000s to the 2020s. Her amazing success, especially at big championships, helped make Jamaican sprinting famous. In the 100 m, her best event, she has won two Olympic gold medals and five world championships. She also has gold and silver medals in the 200 m at the World Championships, plus an Olympic silver.

She has won eight Olympic medals in total. Shelly-Ann became famous at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was the first woman from the Caribbean to win gold in the 100 m. At the 2012 London Olympics, she became only the third woman to win the Olympic 100 m title twice in a row. Even after an injury, she won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2021, 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, Shelly-Ann 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 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 that 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 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 have described 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 Training

Shelly-Ann Fraser was born on December 27, 1986, in Waterhouse, Kingston, Jamaica. Her mother, Maxine Simpson, raised her and her two brothers. Maxine was a street vendor and a former athlete herself. Shelly-Ann was a talented sprinter from a young age, often running barefoot in primary school.

She competed in youth athletics, including 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. She also helped the Jamaican junior team win gold in the 4 × 100 m relay. In 2005, she won bronze in the 100 m and gold in the 4 × 100 m relay at the CARIFTA Games.

In 2006, Shelly-Ann started attending 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 sometimes late for practice and worried about becoming too muscular.

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

She started to succeed in senior competitions in 2007. At 20, she finished fifth in the 100 m at the Jamaican National Senior Championships. This was a new personal best for her. She was chosen as a reserve for Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. She ran in the relay heats and helped her team win a silver medal. This experience boosted her confidence and made her more focused on athletics.

Olympic and World Championship Success

Rising to Olympic Gold

Shelly-Ann's big breakthrough came in 2008. At the Jamaican Olympic trials, she surprised everyone by finishing second in the 100 m. She ran under 11 seconds for the first time, with a time of 10.85 s. This earned her a spot on the Olympic team. Many people thought she was too new to compete at the Olympics. But she saw her underdog status as an advantage.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Shelly-Ann won her heat, quarterfinal, and semifinal races. In the 100 m final, she led a Jamaican sweep of the medals. She won gold in 10.78 s, becoming the first Caribbean woman to win this event at the Olympics. Her teammates, Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, both won silver. This was the first time any nation had swept the medals in a women's Olympic or World Championship 100 m race.

First World Titles

In 2009, Shelly-Ann proved her success was not a fluke. She won her first 100 m national title in Jamaica. At the 2009 Berlin World Championships, she made a fantastic start in the 100 m final. She won her first world title in a new personal best of 10.73 s. This made her one of the fastest women in history at the time. She also won a second gold medal as part of Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team.

Fraser-Pryce (center) in the 2009 world 100 m final. Her winning time of 10.73 s made her one of the fastest women in history at the time.

Olympic Title Defense

The 2012 season was very successful for Shelly-Ann. She won both the 100 m and 200 m at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. She set a new personal best and national record of 10.70 s in the 100 m.

At the London Olympics, she won her 100 m heat and semifinal. In the 100 m final, she had a quick start and won gold again, defending her title. Her time was 10.75 s. She became the third woman to win two Olympic 100 m titles in a row. Days later, she won a silver medal in the 200 m final. She also earned another silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay.

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

Triple Gold and Athlete of the Year

In 2013, Shelly-Ann continued her amazing performance. She became the first woman to win gold in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m relay at a single World Championship. This achievement was also matched by Usain Bolt in the men's events.

At the World Championships in Moscow, she dominated the 100 m final, winning gold in 10.71 s. She then won her first world title in the 200 m final. As the last runner for Jamaica's 4 × 100 m relay team, she completed her hat trick of world titles. Because of her great year, she was named the IAAF World Athlete of the Year.

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

World Indoor Champion

In March 2014, Shelly-Ann competed at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. She won gold in the 60 m final with a time of 6.98 s. This made her the first woman in history to hold world titles in the 60 m, 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m relay all at the same time. Later that year, she helped the Jamaican team win bronze in the 4 × 200 m relay at the 2014 IAAF World Relays. She also anchored the Jamaican team to gold in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

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

Third and Fourth World 100m Titles

In 2015, Shelly-Ann focused on the 100 m. At the World Championships in Beijing, she won her third world title in the 100 m with a time of 10.76 s. She became the first woman to win this title three times. Days later, she helped the women's 4 × 100 m relay team win gold.

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.

In 2019, after becoming a mother, Shelly-Ann made a strong comeback. At the World Championships in Doha, she won her fourth 100 m title in 10.71 s. This was her fastest time since 2013. She became the oldest woman and the first mother since 1995 to win a global 100 m title. She celebrated by bringing her two-year-old son on her victory lap. She also won another gold medal as part of the Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team.

Tokyo Olympics and Fifth World Title

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed to 2021. In June 2021, Shelly-Ann ran a new personal best and Jamaican record of 10.63 s in the 100 m. This made her the fastest woman alive at the time. She also won the 200 m national title with a new personal best of 21.79 s.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Shelly-Ann won silver in the 100 m final. This was her fourth Olympic medal in the 100 m, a new record for any athlete. She then won gold in the 4 × 100 m relay with her Jamaican teammates.

In 2022, at 35 years old, Shelly-Ann was more careful with her races due to the demands on her body. At the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, she led another Jamaican sweep of the podium. She won her record-extending fifth 100 m title in 10.67 s. This was her quickest 100 m time in a global final. She also won silver in the world 200 m final.

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

Recent Competitions

For her amazing 2022 season, Shelly-Ann won the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards for Sportswoman of the Year. In 2023, she faced some injuries. She opened her 100 m season in July, running 10.82 s. At the World Championships in Budapest, she won the bronze medal in the 100 m final with a season's best of 10.77 s. She also helped the Jamaican team win silver in the 4 × 100 m relay.

In February 2024, Shelly-Ann announced that the Paris Olympics would be her last Olympics. She continued to battle a knee injury. In June 2024, she secured her spot for her fifth Olympics by finishing third at the Jamaican Olympic Trials with a time of 10.94 s. At the Paris Olympics, she finished second in her 100 m heat. However, she had to withdraw from the 100 m semi-final due to an injury during her warmup.

Legacy and Achievements

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is known as one of the greatest sprinters ever. In 2022, British sports radio station Talksport called her the greatest female sprinter of the 21st century. The Olympic Channel also called her "the most successful female sprinter in history." Many sports writers have said she has a "legitimate claim to be considered the greatest ever." In 2019, she was listed among BBC's 100 inspiring and influential women in the world. In 2020, World Athletics included her on their list of the 10 greatest comebacks in track and field after she returned from maternity leave.

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

Shelly-Ann is praised for how consistently well she performs at big championships and for how long her career has lasted. Out of the 10 Olympic or World 100 m titles she competed in between 2008 and 2022, she won seven gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. She only missed the podium once. In the 200 m, she has won gold and silver at the World Championships, and an Olympic silver medal.

As of September 2022, Shelly-Ann has run the most times under 10.70 s (nine times). She has also run the most times under 10.80 s (31 times) and under 10.90 s (53 times). Her personal best of 10.60 s makes her the third fastest woman of all time. In 2019, she became the fourth mother to win a global 100 m title. With her fifth world title, she has more World Championship 100 m titles than Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, and Maurice Greene.

Shelly-Ann has said that she doesn't focus on her place in history. She wants to leave the sport better than she found it. She hopes to inspire young athletes to work hard, stay humble, and stay focused.

Awards and Recognition

In 2008, Shelly-Ann was honored with the Order of Distinction for her achievements. In October 2018, a statue of her was placed at the Jamaica National Stadium in Kingston. In 2022, her Order of Distinction was upgraded to the Order of Jamaica, a very high honor. In December 2022, the school she attended as a child was renamed The Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Early Childhood Institution in her honor.

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

Internationally, she won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year in 2023. In 2013, she was named IAAF World Female Athlete of the Year. In December 2019, she won Best Female Athlete at the first Panam Sports Awards.

Running Style

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has a unique running style that has helped her become one of the best. She worked hard with her coaches to improve her technique. She used to lean too far forward when she ran, but she learned to improve her posture and her start.

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

Her most famous trait is her incredibly fast starts, which is why she's called "Pocket Rocket." She gets ahead of her rivals very quickly in the first few steps of a race. Sports experts have noted how "devastating" her starting technique is. Even other top sprinters have said they were surprised by how fast she starts.

Shelly-Ann is shorter than most female sprinters, standing at about 1.52 meters (5 feet) tall. She uses a high stride rate, meaning she takes many quick steps. She takes about 50 strides to complete the 100 m.

After changing coaches in 2020, she made small changes to her technique. This helped her improve her personal best times in both the 100 m and 200 m. Her new training focused on improving her endurance and making her strides longer. These changes helped her become even more confident and patient in her races.

Personal Life

In November 2012, Shelly-Ann graduated from the University of Technology with a degree in Child and Adolescent Development. In 2016, she decided to study for a Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology.

She is a committed Christian. She married Jason Pryce in 2011. In early 2017, she announced she was pregnant. On August 7, 2017, she and Jason welcomed their son, Zyon. Even though some expected her to retire after becoming a mother, she promised to make a big comeback. She returned to training just eleven weeks after giving birth. In 2025, she even participated in a race against other parents at her son's school and won easily.

Charity Work and Businesses

Shelly-Ann has worked with companies like Digicel, GraceKennedy, and Nike for sponsorships. She has also supported many good causes. In 2010, she became the first UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for Jamaica. She also created the Pocket Rocket Foundation, which helps high school athletes who need financial support.

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

Career Statistics

Personal Bests

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.

International Competitions

¹Did not start in the semifinals

Circuit Wins

• Diamond League (100 m; other events specified in parentheses)
  • Overall winner: 2012, 2013 (100 m, 200 m), 2015, 2022
    • 2012: New York, Zürich
    • 2013: Zürich (200 m), Doha (200 m), Shanghai, Eugene, Brussels
    • 2014: Doha
    • 2015: Zürich, Stockholm, Eugene
    • 2018: London
    • 2019: London (100 m, 4 × 100 m relay), Lausanne
    • 2021: Doha, Lausanne
    • 2022: Paris, Eugene (200 m), Silesa, Monaco, Zürich
• World Indoor Tour (60 m)
  • 2020: Glasgow

National Titles

• Jamaican Championships
  • 2009: 100 m
  • 2012: 100 m, 200 m
  • 2013: 200 m
  • 2015: 100 m
  • 2021: 100 m, 200 m
• Jamaican U18 Championships
  • 2002: 200 m

Images for kids

• 

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

• 

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

• 

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

• 

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

See also

In Spanish: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce para niños