Sprint Queen, Fraser-Pryce Ends World Championship Career With Silver In Tokyo
Jamaican sprint queen, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce brought the curtain down on her World Athletics Championship career with a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m relay in Tokyo on Sunday, adding yet another chapter to her remarkable legacy.
Fraser-Pryce, who turned 38 this year, was entrusted with the opening leg for her team. Facing America’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the newly crowned sprint double champion, the Jamaican sprinter showed she still had plenty of fire in her legs. She powered out of the blocks and handed the baton to Tia Clayton with Jamaica level with the United States.
The race turned on the second changeover. A slow exchange between the Clayton sisters left Jamaica with ground to make up. Jonielle Smith fought hard on the anchor, but she could not close down Sha’Carri Richardson, who guided the US to gold in 41.75 seconds. Jamaica were just four-hundredths of a second behind in 41.79, while Germany claimed bronze.
For Fraser-Pryce, the silver was another reminder of her extraordinary career on the global stage. Across nine World Championships, she collected 10 gold medals, six silvers and one bronze. Only Allyson Felix has won more overall medals, but Fraser-Pryce remains unmatched in individual sprint titles, with six golds.
Her journey came full circle in Tokyo. At her very first World Championships in Osaka in 2007, she was a reserve who picked up her first medal, also a silver, in the 4x100m relay.
“I really wanted to make sure I gave them a great start because I knew we had a good team and we were contenders,” Fraser-Pryce told reporters afterwards. “We didn’t get the gold but we got our silver medal. We have to be grateful for what we’ve accomplished and we’re walking away with a medal.”
Nicknamed the “Mommy Rocket,” Fraser-Pryce has been more than a sprinter. She has been a symbol of resilience, balancing motherhood with elite performance, and inspiring athletes around the world.
