Reflecting on Shelly-Ann Fraser’s Retirement, 19 Year Old Track and Field Athlete Discloses Her Learnings From the Legend

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ByDivya Purohit

Mar 19, 2024 | 2:30 PM EDT

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“My son needs me. My husband and I have been together since before I won in 2008. He has sacrificed for me,” three-time track and field Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is now in her athletic career wind-down era and has announced 2024 Paris Olympics would be her last elite commitment. As the Jamaican champion plans to keep her family in the forefront, she’s anticipated to deliver a well-deserved bow down.

Brilliant newcomers hungry to seize an opportunity in track and field, like Ann Fraser’s 19-year-old compatriot recently sat down to share her thoughts on the legend’s retirement making enough room for her potential to shine.

Track and field star outshines her records with sweet gesture

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A YouTube video titled, ‘Alana Reid on Her First Year Pro, Olympics, Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce and Almost Going to Oregon‘ was posted by Fitzroy Dunkley. In the video, Dunkley asked Alana Reid about her first thoughts upon learning about Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s official retirement news. “I think she has done enough in her sport,” replied the Pan American U20 Championships 100m champion, Alana Reid.

The Jamaica’s national 100m junior record holder added, “Throughout Champs I have times when I was at the St line I was kind of doubting myself but I was like I have to be strong I know that people out there believe in me and I have to believe in myself and she’s somebody that even if nobody believes in her she always believe in herself so I really look up to her for that.”

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Unfortunately, the Jamaican former football defender Garfield Reid’s daughter is only starting her professional journey this year which means little to no hope for her to compete alongside the Jamaican sprint queen. However, in her slim yet impressive portfolio, Alana Reid boasts a personal best of 10.92 in 100m that she clocked last year making her the fifth-fastest junior athlete of all time and 11th in Jamaican all-time.

Alana Reid’s athletic greatness preps

“My biggest moment was the ISSA Boys and Girls championships when I broke the 100m record,” said Alana earlier this year. After signing a multi-year professional contract with Nike, the Jamaican rising sensation moved to Florida in October 2023 to improve her speed this season. Under the guidance of coach Dennis Mitchell, joining America’s fastest women athlete Sha’Carri Richardson.

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“She teaches me a lot and she shows me a lot of stuff. There are times when I will make a few errors, and she will put me aside and say whatever. But it’s not for me to come here and focus on anybody; it is to focus on myself and prepare myself to be better than who I am,” she told the Jamaican Observer. Apart from her strong showing on the track and field which awaits her debut record, Reid’s composed personality sets her apart.

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