Two-time Olympic 100m champion and Jamaican sprinting icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has officially confirmed that 2025 will be her final year as a professional athlete.
The announcement came during an event celebrating her career in Kingston, where Fraser-Pryce spoke candidly about her decision to retire and her hopes for a fitting farewell on the track.
Final Lap: Retirement Announcement Confirmed
At the June 23 celebration in Kingston, Fraser-Pryce revealed that this week’s Jamaican National Championships will be her last domestic competition. Speaking emotionally about her upcoming race, she said:
“In the next two days, it will be my final time gracing the National Stadium, and, honestly, it’s one of those moments that I’m looking forward to.”
She described this final stage of her athletic journey as symbolic of her growth and impact, especially on the narrative surrounding elite female sprinters.
“As I stand on the track in the next two days, it’s not just about the track, but it’s what’s possible. It’s how we continue to shift and change the narrative around female elite sprinting. It’s about your time, honoring your time. It’s knowing what you want and going the distance for that.”
This will be Fraser-Pryce’s final attempt to qualify for Team Jamaica and compete at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for September 13–21. If selected, she is expected to run in the 4×100m relay, marking the end of a nearly two-decade-long career.
Career Achievements: A Glorious Sprinting Legacy
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce began her international sprinting career in the early 2000s and rose to fame with an unexpected gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocking 10.78 seconds in the 100m final. She then successfully defended her title at the 2012 London Olympics, with a time of 10.75 seconds, becoming the first woman since Florence Griffith-Joyner to win back-to-back Olympic 100m titles.
Olympic Games Record:
- 2008 Beijing – Gold, 100m
- 2012 London – Gold, 100m
- 2016 Rio – Bronze, 100m
- 2020 Tokyo – Silver, 100m; Gold, 4×100m Relay
- Total Olympic medals: 3 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze
World Athletics Championships Record:
- Gold Medals: 10
- 100m Titles: 2009 (Berlin), 2013 (Moscow), 2015 (Beijing), 2019 (Doha), 2022 (Eugene)
- 200m Title: 2013
- 4×100m Relay Titles: 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019
- 100m Titles: 2009 (Berlin), 2013 (Moscow), 2015 (Beijing), 2019 (Doha), 2022 (Eugene)
- Silver & Bronze Medals: Multiple appearances in podium finishes
With 10 world titles, Fraser-Pryce holds the record for the most World Championship gold medals by a female sprinter.
View this post on Instagram
Time and Resilience: Competing Into Her Late 30s
Fraser-Pryce has repeatedly defied expectations, proving that age is no barrier to excellence. In 2021, at the age of 34, she ran a personal best of 10.60 seconds in the 100m in Lausanne — the third-fastest time in history, only behind Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49) and fellow Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54).
Throughout her 20-year career, Fraser-Pryce has shown exceptional consistency, resilience, and determination, particularly after giving birth to her son, Zyon, in 2017. Her comeback led to World Championship gold in 2019, making her the oldest woman ever to win a 100m world title at 32.
A Legacy Beyond Records
Even though Fraser-Pryce never broke a world record, her impact on the sport is immeasurable. Her explosive starts, powerful acceleration, and mental fortitude have inspired generations of athletes across the world.
She has been cited as a role model by track legends such as:
- Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) – Olympic 1500m champion
- Michaela Blyde (New Zealand) – Rugby Sevens World Player
- Elaine Thompson-Herah – Jamaica’s double Olympic champion
- Shericka Jackson – Current world champion in the 200m
Fraser-Pryce is known globally as the “Pocket Rocket” — a nickname highlighting her small stature but immense power.
In 2022, she was awarded the Order of Jamaica, the nation’s fifth-highest honor. She also holds a degree in child and adolescent development and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Viral Moment: Dominating Parents at Her Son’s Sports Day
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also made headlines recently for something a little more fun — dominating other parents at her son’s school sports day. In April 2025, videos went viral of her easily outrunning other parents in a 100m sprint at the event. Wearing casual athletic gear, the sprint queen surged ahead from the starting line and finished well before any other participant, leaving spectators in awe.
Fans reacted on social media, calling the performance “effortless” and “unfair to the other parents,” with some even joking that Jamaica should include her in the national team “forever.”
This isn’t the first time Fraser-Pryce has gone viral for a sports day race — similar clips have surfaced in previous years, showing that she always brings her A-game, no matter the event.
What’s Next for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce?
Fraser-Pryce has made it clear that her final goal is to compete at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. That will likely be her last international race — fitting for a legend whose career began on the Olympic stage.
Upcoming Milestones:
- June 26–29, 2025 – Final Jamaican National Championships in Kingston
- September 13–21, 2025 – World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (expected 4×100m relay appearance)
She has also expressed interest in youth mentorship, community development, and possibly continuing her role as an advocate for women in sport after retirement.
A Sprinter Who Changed the Game
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce may be stepping off the track in 2025, but her influence will continue to resonate. From Olympic dominance to historic comebacks and viral moments, she has defined a generation of sprinting and broken countless barriers — not just for Jamaican athletes, but for women in sport globally.
Her retirement will mark the end of one of the greatest careers in track and field history, but her legacy is already sealed: a champion, a mother, a mentor, and an icon.
The Information is Collected from Olympics and MSN.
