Veronica Campbell-Brown has agreed with her fellow Jamaican legend on how motherhood can shape an elite female athlete.
Jamaican sprint legend Veronica Campbell-Brown has voiced her agreement with her compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on the distinctive challenges of balancing motherhood and elite athletics.
Campbell-Brown, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 200 meters, welcomed her first child, Avianna Amora Brown, on February 23, 2019, while still actively competing.
At 36 years old, she had already cemented her place in track and field history with multiple Olympic and World Championship medals. Announcing her pregnancy in January 2019, she expressed her excitement about entering motherhood, even as she contemplated the future of her sporting career.
AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has confirmed that the club officially submitted all the paperwork on Tuesday, 5th March 2025, to acquire the land in Kasarani supposed to be used for the building of its stadium.
Determined to return to the track, Campbell-Brown made a comeback in 2020, competing in select events as she worked to regain her competitive edge.
One of her notable post-pregnancy appearances was at the 2020 Velocity Fest in Jamaica, where she participated in the 100m and 200m races, underscoring her resilience in balancing motherhood and professional athletics.
Despite her aspirations to conclude her career at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics, an injury sustained before the Jamaican trials in 2021 forced her into retirement.
Reflecting on her journey on Justin Gatlin’s Ready Set Go podcast, Campbell-Brown shared how motherhood reshaped her perspective as an athlete.
)
South African Benni McCarthy playfully shares concerns as he takes charge of Harambee Stars
“I was thus able to experience a little bit of being a mum while training, and that was extremely tough because I had to make sure the babysitter was on time every morning, and so I had to prepare everything for her before I left for training and back.”
Campbell-Brown emphasized that the demands of being a mother while training required immense resilience and discipline.
“Motherhood and training help you get stronger and more determined because your schedule is interrupted, and you have to find a way to balance taking care of yourself. But I did get a taste of what it was like to have a baby and compete.”
When asked whether motherhood posed a greater challenge than the pressures of being an elite sprinter, Campbell-Brown responded affirmatively. “I think so,” she admitted.
)
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has joined the list of highest paid Africa national team coaches but he still does not compare to many others on the continent.
Her sentiments align with those of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who became a mother in 2017 when she gave birth to her son, Zyon.
Fraser-Pryce has since become an inspiration to mothers within and beyond the athletics community, proving that balancing elite-level sprinting and motherhood is possible.
Following Zyon’s birth, Fraser-Pryce shared on Facebook how her focus had shifted from defending her world title at the 2017 World Championships to embracing her new role as a mother.
Five years later, she has shown that motherhood does not hinder an athlete’s success, demonstrating unparalleled longevity in a physically and mentally demanding sport.
)
How new Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy will manage to convince foreign-based players, including dual-citizens like Linton Maina & Djed Spence, to play for Harambee Stars.
Fraser-Pryce has been vocal about encouraging other mothers not to view motherhood as a limitation.
“The message I would love to send to mothers is that motherhood doesn’t diminish your capabilities or hide your gifts,” she stated as quoted on Olympics.com.
“I hope you don’t hide who you are behind motherhood… It’s part of your journey, it’s who you are now, and you embrace it. It’s almost like an add-on to who you are as a woman.
“ If anything, it enhances who you are. So be strong and believe that you too can accomplish great things. Things change, but you definitely can get to the top.”
Campbell-Brown’s and Fraser-Pryce’s experiences highlight the unique yet rewarding journey of being both a mother and an elite sprinter.