The Jamaican athlete has made an unforgettable impact on the Olympic stage. Her incredible journey began at Beijing 2008 where she made history as the first woman from the Caribbean to win 100m gold.
Fraser-Pryce has been even more successful at the World Athletics Championships, winning a total of 10 gold and five silver medals across various events. She has an unprecedented five 100m titles - 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022 - and was the first woman to complete the individual 100m and 200m sprint double and win the 4x100m relay at the Moscow 2013 edition.
She made yet more history at the 2022 Eugene World Championships when, at 35, she became the oldest sprinter ever to win a world title.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's Drug Suspension and Motherhood
In 2010, Fraser-Pryce received a six-month suspension from athletics after testing positive for the banned substance oxycodone, a painkiller given to her by her coach to treat toothache. She accepted responsibility for the oversight.
After marrying Jason Pryce and changing her name, the Pocket Rocket became the "Mommy Rocket" when she missed the 2017 World Championships to give birth to son Zyon. She returned to training just 10 weeks later and was back competing in May 2018. She took her time to return to top form, breaking 11 seconds for 100m just once in that campaign. But then in 2019, she won the 100m world title for the fifth time.
Reflecting on her journey, Fraser-Pryce openly shared her doubts and the mental challenges she faced during her comeback.
"Mentally, it was even harder because you are 30; you are worried about coming back and not really being at the same level," she said after her 2019 triumph. "For athletics and women it is hard to come back to sprinting. I remember in 2018 when I was getting back, I did not have enough power coming out of the blocks and over the first 30 metres."
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's Social Engagement
Fraser-Pryce grew up in Waterhouse, a deprived area of Kingston, Jamaica, marked by gang violence. She has dedicated herself to giving back to her community by establishing the Pocket Rocket Foundation to support underprivileged children.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, her foundation provided computers and tablets to help children access online classes. UNICEF Jamaica named her a National Goodwill Ambassador, recognising her as an accomplished athlete and a passionate defender of children's rights.
Having flirted with retirement several times in recent years, she told Olympics,comthat Paris 2024 will be her "fifth and final (Olympic Games) for all time".