By: Kwame Bediako
Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has announced her retirement from athletics after an illustrious 18-year career, concluding with a silver medal performance in the 4x100m relay at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 38-year-old athlete is widely regarded as the most decorated female 100m sprinter in history, having secured five world 100m titles and two Olympic gold medals. Her final appearance saw her contribute to Jamaica’s strong relay team, underscoring her lasting impact on the sport.
In an emotional statement on social media, Fraser-Pryce expressed deep gratitude to her homeland. “I am a proud daughter of the soil, and I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Jamaica. We may be small, but we are mighty, and I am humbled to have represented the strength of our nation with passion on the global stage”; she wrote.
Fraser-Pryce’s career was remarkably consistent, missing only one of the last 15 major global competitions due to maternity, before returning to win five more world championship podiums as a mother.
In 2019, she became the oldest woman to win a 100m world title, a milestone she extended by three years, triumphing again at age 35.
Her retirement marks the end of an era in sprinting. Fraser-Pryce’s resilience, speed, and trailblazing achievements have solidified her place as a true icon in athletics and a source of inspiration for future generations.
