From Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, here are top athletes have broken barriers in athletics as ‘supermoms’.
Being both a mother and an elite athlete is no small feat. Yet, great women in track and field have shown that motherhood does not have to derail athletic careers. Instead, it can provide a new perspective, a deeper sense of purpose, and even inspire some of the best performances of their careers.
Pulse Sports takes a closer look at five remarkable athletes who have balanced motherhood and competition, redefining what it means to dominate their events.
5. Keira D’Amato
For the USA’s fastest marathoner, Keira D’Amato, motherhood became a turning point in her career. After a series of injuries derailed her early aspirations, D’Amato had her first child in 2014 and her second in 2016. Running became her outlet for managing the pressures of parenting, evolving into consistent marathon training.
A year post-partum, she clocked a personal best of 2:40:00, just two minutes shy of the Tokyo Olympics qualifying mark. Her breakthrough came in 2021 when she finished fourth at the Chicago Marathon, and in 2022, she shattered her personal record, running an astounding 2:19:22, setting a national record in the process.
Allyson Felix has shared a heartfelt glimpse into her family life, reflecting on love, resilience and the strength of motherhood.
Seven months later, she competed at the 2022 World Championships, finishing eighth. At 38, D’Amato’s journey exemplifies how motherhood can fuel a comeback story.
4. Nia Ali
Nia Ali’s career as a hurdler is a testament to resilience and determination. After the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were postponed, Ali and her partner, Andre De Grasse, decided to expand their family. In 2020, they welcomed their third child, which meant Ali missed her chance to compete in Tokyo.
But by 2022, she was back, qualifying for the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. In 2024, Ali narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics by just 0.06 seconds. At 36, the mother of three remains undeterred, already preparing for a strong 2025 season.
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Motherhood is a transformative journey that shaped Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s career, pushing her to redefine limits and inspire countless athletes worldwide.
3. Shaunae Miller-Uibo
For Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 2023 was a year of milestones. The Bahamian sprinter returned to the track just four months after giving birth to her son. She lined up at the World Athletics Championships on August 20, running her first 400m race since 2022 in a season-best time of 52.65 seconds.
While an injury prevented her from defending her Olympic title in Paris, Miller-Uibo’s determination to balance motherhood and elite competition is inspiring. Her focus now shifts to making a full recovery and returning stronger.
2. Faith Kipyegon
Affectionately known as a “supermom,” Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon has built an extraordinary legacy. In 2017, she became the first Kenyan woman to win the 1500m at the World Championships. A year later, she took a break from competition to welcome her daughter, Alyn, in June 2018. The delivery, via emergency Caesarean section, marked a life-changing moment.
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Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon has picked up traits throughout her illustrious career that transcends the track into her personal life and motherhood journey.
Despite doubts about her return, Kipyegon’s resilience shone through. In 2019, she claimed a silver medal at the World Championships, followed by back-to-back Olympic gold medals in Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024).
1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Few athletes embody the transformative power of motherhood like Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Already one of the greatest sprinters in history, Fraser-Pryce became a mother in 2017 when she welcomed her son, Zyon. Initially uncertain about her future in athletics, Fraser-Pryce made a triumphant return to the track just two years later.
At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, she became the first mother to win a 100m world title, doing so at the age of 32. She later secured silver at the Tokyo Olympics and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024, though an injury kept her from competing. Undeterred, Fraser-Pryce eyes a comeback in 2025, proving that age and motherhood are no barriers to greatness.
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Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce overcame the challenges of motherhood to continue her record-breaking sprinting career, inspiring young athletes with her resilience.
For these incredible women, motherhood has been a catalyst, not a constraint. Their stories serve as a reminder of their determination, perseverance, and adaptability both on and off the track. They continue to inspire athletes and mothers everywhere, proving that the journey of parenthood can coexist with—and even enhance—athletic excellence.
