“A fear to overcome”- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce weighs in on rediscovering her ‘why’ after heartbreaking semi-final withdrawal at the Paris Olympics

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is widely considered to be one of the great 100m sprinters to have graced the track. Recently, the Jamaican opened up about how she finds her ‘why’ to move forward in life, sharing a valuable lesson with fans.

For Fraser-Pryce, 2024 has been a lukewarm year. The 37-year-old had a late start to her season and only competed thrice this entire year. She made her season debut at the JAAA Olympic French Firay event in Jamaica, finishing first with a time of 11.15s. Up next, the former World Champion moved on to the Jamaican Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston. At the championships, the sprinter topped her heats and semifinal races but finished third in the finals.

From there Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce moved on to the Paris Olympics, where fans were curious to see if she would be able to make it to the 100m podium for a fifth consecutive time. Unfortunately, the Jamaican withdrew from the semifinals, putting an early end to her campaign at the Games.

Recently, Fraser-Pryce responded to a fan via Instagram story, who asked her how she discovers her ‘why’ in life. Answering the question the athlete wrote:

“I discover a new ‘why’ as my life evolves. Sometimes that’s found in reflecting on what excites or challenges me in the present. It could be a new goal, a fear to overcome, or simply rediscovering joy in the process. Your ‘why’ doesn’t necessarily change, it compounds – embrace it.”

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on finding new challenges

Alongside finding her ‘why,’ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce also revealed how she keeps improving in life. A fan asked the Jamaican how she finds ‘new challenges to complete’, to which the sprinter responded,

“I look for goals that push my limits-like improving in ways I haven’t before. Sometimes it’s about exploring the unknown and seeing what I’m truly capable of.”

Fraser-Pryce has led an incredible career on the track, dominating major events for well over a decade. Her breakthrough moment came at the Beijing Olympics, when she stormed to the 100m gold, making her the first Caribbean woman to achieve this feat. She would go on to win seven more Olympic medals, two of which were gold.

The Jamaican experienced similar success at the World Championships. Between 2009 and 2023, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won 16 World Championships medals, of which 10 were gold, five were silver, and one was bronze.