Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a Jamaican track and field sprinter and widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time wins the 100m title at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

An eight-time Olympic medallist, she rose to prominence at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first Caribbean woman to win gold in the 100 m. At the 2012 London Olympics, she became the third woman in history to defend an Olympic 100m title.

Fraser-Pryce won her first world 100m title 13 years ago but says her latest victory means the most. She said, “It’s my favourite world title — doing it at 35, yes, I said 35, whenever I’m healthy, I’m going to compete. I’m hungry, I’m driven and I always believe I can run faster and I’m not going to stop until I stop believing that.”

In 2017, Fraser-Pryce had an emergency C-section when she had her son Zyon, subsequently taking two years away from the track to rehabilitate and focus on motherhood.

Despite fears, that she would never reach the summit of the sport again, the Jamaican only improved year on year. “It’s not easy, I don’t just turn up. I have to work,” she added. “I can’t even imagine the number of times I’ve had setbacks and I’ve bounced back and I’m here again. To continue to do it at 35, having a baby, still going — hopefully, I’m inspiring women that they can make their journey.”

After injury affected her season, she won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Thirteen years after her first Olympic win, she won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first athlete to medal in the 100 m at four consecutive Olympic Games.

A dominant force in women’s sprinting, Fraser-Pryce has won more global 100 m titles than any other female sprinter in history. Nicknamed the “Pocket Rocket” for her petite stature and explosive block starts, her personal best of 10.60 seconds makes her the third fastest woman ever and the fastest mother of all time. World Athletics hailed her as “the greatest female sprinter of her generation.” In 2019, she was included on the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women in the world.