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MONACO, MONACO – AUGUST 10: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica celebrates after winning in the Women’s 100m during the Herculis EBS 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stade Louis II on August 10, 2022 in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Marco Mantovani/Getty Images)
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MONACO, MONACO – AUGUST 10: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica celebrates after winning in the Women’s 100m during the Herculis EBS 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stade Louis II on August 10, 2022 in Monaco, Monaco. (Photo by Marco Mantovani/Getty Images)
With just 43 days remaining until the Paris Olympics in 2024, the anticipation in the track and field world is reaching a fever pitch. All eyes have been eagerly fixed on none other than the legendary “Mommy Rocket” herself, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, as she prepares to make her much-awaited return to the track this year.
In an announcement by Track & Field Gazette on X, it has been speculated that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will kick off her 2024 season on June 15, 2024, at the prestigious JAAA Olympic French Foray 3 in Kingston. This marks a pivotal moment for the 37-year-old sprinting sensation, who last competed nearly 10 months ago in Budapest, where she faced a setback.
THE MOST ANTICIPATED SEASON OPENER IS HERE!!🔥🔥
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 🇯🇲 is set to open up her 2024 season tomorrow at the JAAA Olympic French Foray 3 in Kingston!
The 37-year-old last competed almost 10 months ago in Budapest, where she sustained an injury. pic.twitter.com/1Yqh6jppc3
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) June 14, 2024
At the 2023 World Championships, Fraser-Pryce showcased her trademark excellence. She blazed through her heat in 11.01 seconds and powered past her semifinal in 10.89 seconds, setting the stage for a dramatic final. In the 100-meter final showdown, she delivered her season’s best, crossing the line in 10.77 seconds to secure a hard-earned bronze medal. It was a fiercely contested race, with Shericka Jackson clinching silver in 10.72 seconds and Sha’Carri Richardson claiming gold in a championship record of 10.65 seconds, marking a historic moment for U.S. sprinting.
Fraser-Pryce’s resilience shone brightly in the 4x100m final, where, despite sustaining a hamstring injury during her leg of the race, she valiantly completed the baton exchange. Alongside Natasha Morrison, Shashalee Forbes, and Shericka Jackson, the Jamaican team surged to a season’s best of 41.21 seconds, securing a well-deserved silver medal.
Due to her injuries sustained during the championships, Fraser-Pryce was regrettably forced to end her season prematurely. This return to her fifth Olympic cycle marks a pivotal moment, drawing the curtain on a career that has spanned over a decade and a half, from the late 2000s to the 2020s, for the eight-time Olympic medalist.
The last Olympic run of the track and field phenom Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
After the 2024 Paris Olympics, “Pocket Rocket” Shelly-Ann has decided to retire, citing her desire to spend more time with her family. The three-time Olympic champion, revered as one of the greatest sprinters in history, claimed her first 100-meter Olympic gold in 2008, making history as the first Caribbean woman to achieve such a feat. She went on to defend her title in the 2012 London Olympics and battled through injury to secure bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics, followed by a silver in the relay.
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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – AUGUST 22: Bronze medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Team Jamaica poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s 100m during day four of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 22, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images for World Athletics)
Following the birth of her son in 2017, Fraser-Pryce continued to shine, securing another Olympic silver and a relay gold in Tokyo 2020. Reflecting on her decision to retire, she confided in Essence.com about her son’s needs and the sacrifices her husband has made since they began their journey together in 2008.
She emphasized their partnership, crediting his steadfast support as instrumental in her rise to becoming one of the world’s greatest athletes. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce succinctly expressed, “And I think I now owe it to them to do something else.” With this being her final Olympic cycle, her return holds even greater significance. What are your thoughts on this news and her comeback? Share in the comments below!
