Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has reflected on her resilience, identity, and embracing life beyond the track.
For female athletes, having a child is one of the scariest things and one of the greatest female sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser has also faced that fear.
After having her son at 30 in 2017, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce knew that her purpose was over since almost all her life, she identified herself as a track athlete.
However, having her son, Zyon was an eye-opener to the 10-time world champion who now knew that she had other things to do and would not solely be looked at as an athlete.
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She recalls the moment as scary because she did not have a comeback plan but with the support from her family, Shelly-Ann was able to bounce back and continue winning races.
“The mindset really changed and it was definitely a change…coming from a place of just feeling like I didn’t belong to having my son and realising that after being away for a year, track and field was always going to be there,” Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce said in an interview with TJ Sports USA.
“I appreciated it more and when I came back and had my son, I was still an athlete, a mom, a woman and many other things so if I move one thing away, I’m still Shelly-Ann and I became so much more comfortable and confident in who I was.”
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Usain Bolt spearheaded Jamaica’s most successful history in the sprints in track and field.
Time waits for no man and the case was not different from the three-time Olympic champion who thought that taking her time off would take something from the track.
However, even when she was busy nursing her son, life continued and women continued running fast times and winning medals.
“I needed to understand that as an athlete I had to show up as my best self all the time and know that with or without track, I am who I am. When I took my time off, people went out to run and win medals and I was still surviving,” Shelly-Ann revealed.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s journey through motherhood and her return to the track highlights her resilience and ability to redefine herself beyond athletics.
Embracing her identity as both a mother and an elite sprinter, she proved that taking time off did not diminish her greatness.
Instead, it strengthened her perspective, allowing her to appreciate the sport even more while confidently stepping into every role she embodies.
