Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce sent a powerful message to the athletics world on Saturday, shutting down speculation about her impending retirement while delivering a blistering season opener at Velocity Fest 17 in Kingston.
The 38-year-old superstar clocked a wind-assisted 10.94 seconds (+3.1 m/s) in her 100m heat, proving once again that age is just a number when it comes to her dominance on the track.
Recent reports had suggested that Fraser-Pryce had confirmed 2025 as her final season, but the five-time world champion quickly set the record straight.
“Well, I haven’t confirmed that. So when I do, I’ll let you know,” she told reporters.
Fraser-Pryce’s appearance at Velocity Fest marked her first race since the 2024 Paris Olympics preliminary rounds, making this an unusually early start for the sprint queen.
She revealed that the decision was intentional, a shift from the past two injury-disrupted seasons where she was forced to delay her campaign.
“I haven’t raced in a long time, so I really wanted to come out here and just get some practice,” she explained.
“In the last two years, I’ve started my season late, so this year, of course, I’m healthy, feeling good, so I decided to come and see what’s up.”
While she remained tight-lipped about her full competition schedule, Fraser-Pryce hinted at a more calculated approach in 2025.
“It feels good to start a bit earlier than usual,” she admitted.
“And again, it’s a long season—very long. So I’m really just making sure that I choose my races wisely and stay healthy and just continue to train.”
Unlike younger rivals who compete frequently, Fraser-Pryce has mastered the art of peaking at the right moments, something that could prove crucial as she eyes another potential showdown with rivals like Sha’Carri Richardson, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah.
