Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has reflected on how it feels to be a part of Jamaica’s golden era of sprinting and inspiring the next generation.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has opened up about the importance of being a part of the golden era of Jamaican sprinting and what youngsters should learn from her and the other accomplished sprinters.
Growing up in Water House, Shelly-Ann never imagined she could become one of the world’s greatest sprinters and she admitted that it is because of Jamaicans that she has been able to remain consistent and grounded in her career.
Running was never something on her mind growing up but when she started, she immediately knew what she wanted to become and with the help of her country’s people, she has achieved most of her goals, if not all.
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Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has discussed the pressure to break Flo-Jo’s 100m world record, insisting that while it’s a goal, it doesn’t consume her focus.
The 10-time world champion explained that her success and that of other women including Shericka Jackson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Elaine Thompson-Herah is a testimony that anything is possible and a source of motivation to the thousands of young girls with big dreams in Jamaica.
She disclosed that being among the historic women has helped her elevate her country and the once tiny Caribbean nation is known by the whole world.
“It definitely feels good and I think for me especially coming from Water House as a young girl who didn’t know where she would end up in the future but to be able to be an icon in my country is phenomenal and also being able to give inspiration to other young girls,” Shelly-Ann admitted in an interview with Black Enterprise.
“Being able to say that I’m homegrown and that the people of Jamaica have contributed greatly to my abilities and who I am today and supporting me. Being able to be among the best helps us to elevate the country and when we step on the line, we know that we have a very rich history.”
Shelly-Ann further explained that despite the minimum resources in her home country, they managed to excel and it simply shows that young athletes do not have to necessarily relocate to other countries to succeed.
For instance, Shelly-Ann, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson trained on home soil and were guided by local coaches and despite the tough situations, they have managed to defy all odds and triumph even in the hardest conditions.
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Letsile Tebogo reflected on his career’s turning point, winning his first global gold in Nairobi.
Injuries have slowed them down a bit but one thing about the Jamaican sprint queens is that they will always show up and give their all when it matters.
“We always want to make sure that we show up and put our country first because we understand there are limited resources. We want to show other Jamaicans that it’s possible to stay here and have good coaches here in Jamaica and get on the world stage and dominate. It’s important to always drive that message home and work with the little that we have,” she added.
At the age of 38, Shelly-Ann continues to grace the track with her explosive runs and even as she nears retirement, she still has eyes fixed on winning races.
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The three-time world champion insists that Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce still have plenty more to offer the world.
The three-time Olympic champion shifts focus to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, mainly focusing on making a mark and even when she exits, then do so with a bang.
