Eight Time Olympic Medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Announces Retirement, Makes Final World Championship Team

Forbes

13 hours ago

EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 17: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning gold the ... More Women's 100m Final on day three of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 17, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo byfor World Athletics)
Track and field sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce confirmed on June 23rd that this would be her final year running before beginning her retirement at the conclusion of the season. On Friday, the eight-time Olympic medalist competed in the Jamaica National Stadium one last time.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Qualifies For Her Eighth World Championship Team In The 100-Meter Dash
EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 17: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning gold the ... More Women's 100m Final on day three of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 17, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by)
Yesterday at the Jamaica National Stadium, Fraser-Pryce ran her final race on Jamaican soil. She ran 10.91 in the 100-meter dash, placing third behind newly crowned Jamaican national champion Tina Clayton and runner-up Shericka Jackson to qualify for her last World Athletics Outdoor Championship. Clayton and Jackson ran 10.81 and 10.88, respectively.
'I'm just grateful to be able to be here tonight finishing healthy and be on the team to Tokyo,' said Fraser-Pryce in a post-race interview.
In the remainder of the interview, she expressed that there were several things she needed to work on to prepare for the competition in Tokyo. Race sharpness was the key component she mentioned, as she had only competed four times in 2025 before this weekend's championship.
Despite not having many races under her belt, she is excited for the chance to continue her preparations and represent Jamaica this September.
Although Fraser-Pryce is known for contesting the 200-meter dash at her country's championships, she's opted not to race in it this year, following her decision not to do so last year as well.
During the 2024 season, the 10-time world champion hinted that it might be her final season. When she made it to Paris to compete in her final Olympic games, spectators were shocked to see her missing from the start line after qualifying for the semi-final of the 100-meter dash. Many were heartbroken as they thought they would never see Fraser-Pryce compete again.
There is still no official word on her decision to cut her time in Paris short. However, fans were elated to find out that she would compete during the 2025 season. Now, spectators will be able to give her a proper goodbye this fall.
The Legacy Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Leaves Behind
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 21: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica reacts after competing in the ... More Women's 100m Semi-Final during day three of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 21, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by)
Fraser-Pryce is far from an ordinary legend. She holds three Olympic gold medals, four Olympic silver medals, and one Olympic bronze medal, totaling eight, which is the same number as her legendary countryman, Usain Bolt.
She also holds 10 World Athletics Championship titles and is the third-fastest woman of all time in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 10.60. In addition to her ability to dominate global championships, her capacity to push physical limitations is unmatched.
In 2022, Fraser-Pryce ran 10.62, 10.67, and 10.66 over three competitions in less than seven days. Now at 38 years old, the Olympic champion has run sub-11 seconds 87 times in her career. This statistic builds a strong case for naming her the greatest female sprinter of all time. The only other female sprinter in history to get close to this number of sub-11 second 100-meter dash's is Merlene Ottey, with 67.
Most women sprinters retire between their late 20s and early 30s. However, there are a handful, like Ottey and Allyson Felix, who chose to defy the limits of age and dominate the sport well beyond when most athletes hang up their spikes. Ottey officially retired at 52 years old and made her final Olympic team at 44 years old. Felix retired at 36 years old, completing her last race at the 2022 World Athletics Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Following a similar path now is Fraser-Pryce, who will be 38 years old at the time of her final World Athletics Outdoor Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Besides her athletic achievements, track and field fans love Fraser-Pryce for a variety of other reasons. One of them is her iconic hair choices. Over her career, the Olympic champion has become known for her distinctive and beautiful hair during major competitions. Fans who have noticed this about her often anticipate on social media the style she will wear. When revealed, many are in awe of the surprise she brings.
EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 18: Silver medalist Shericka Jackson of Team Jamaica, gold medalist Shelly-Ann ... More Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica and bronze medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah of Team Jamaica pose during the medal ceremony for the Women's 100m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo byfor World Athletics)
Fraser-Pryce is also known for her positive and radiating sportsmanship. She is often seen smiling and hugging competitors after races, displaying a large amount of energy in her post-race interviews, and being an overall encouragement to the athletes who hope to follow in her footsteps. She pours nothing but positive energy into track and field, which is why she is receiving so much of that love back during her last dance.
Bolt spoke with Fraser-Pryce after she qualified for Tokyo yesterday. In a separate interview, Bolt reflected positively on her career and expressed his appreciation for the incredible competitive journey they had together.
'Shelly's just one of the greatest, hands down, she has proven over and over,' said Bolt. 'For me, the biggest thing is to have a child come back and just dominate shows the resilience…'
Bolt and Fraser-Pryce won their first Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games. Although they ended their professional careers at different times, each athlete embodies what it truly means to conquer the sport of track and field.
Jamaican track and field sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Usain Bolt (R) pose with their awards ... More after being named as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)'s best male and female World Athletes of the Year for 2013 on November 16, 2013 in Monaco at the IAAF gala. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Following in Fraser-Pryce's footsteps will be some amazing names. Notably, the Clayton twins, at just 20 years old, have already risen to the occasion. Tia Clayton was the only Jamaican woman to qualify for the 100-meter dash Olympic final in Paris, finishing seventh overall. Yesterday, Tina Clayton became the new Jamaican national champion in the 100-meter dash. Both sisters joined veterans Jackson and Fraser-Pryce as legs on the 4x100-meter relay at the World Athletics Relay Championships in China earlier this year. Together, these four took home a bronze medal.
Despite leaving large shoes to fill in the track and field community, many are hopeful that someone will be willing to take on the challenge. Fraser-Pryce is a worldwide treasure that track and field fans will cherish forever, long after she takes her final steps on the track.