Jamaican nice Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce stated the Paris Video games might be her fifth and last Olympics.
The 37-year-old sprinter, who gained two gold medals at 100 meters and one other within the 4×100 relay, informed Essence.com she nonetheless loves the game however will retire after Paris so she will be able to spend extra time along with her husband and her 6-year-old son, Zyon.
“My son wants me,” she stated. “My husband and I’ve been collectively since earlier than I gained in 2008. He has sacrificed for me. We’re a partnership, a group. And it’s due to that help that I’m in a position to do the issues that I’ve been doing for all these years. And I feel I now owe it to them to do one thing else.”
When Fraser-Pryce completed second as an unknown on the Jamaican Olympic trials in 2008, a lot of the dialog centered on whether or not she ought to be handed over for the extra established Veronica Campbell Brown. That didn’t occur. Just a few weeks later, Fraser-Pryce went on to steer a Jamaican sweep within the 100 on the Beijing Video games. It was the primary of her eight Olympic medals. She additionally gained 4 silvers — together with one in Tokyo in 2021 — and one bronze.
“I undervalued myself going into Beijing,” she stated within the interview with Essence. “I simply wished to make the finals. However once I crossed the road in first place, from that second, I’ve by no means undervalued myself. I’m not simply right here for participation. I’m right here to win.”
She additionally has gained 10 gold medals at world championships, together with six particular person championships — 5 within the 100 and one within the 200. In 2019, she returned after the beginning of her son and have become the oldest girl to win the world title. She gained it once more in 2022 at age 35, which made her the primary athlete to win 5 titles in a person working occasion.
Fraser-Pryce completed third on the worlds final yr and is taken into account a contender in Paris, together with defending world champion Sha’Carri Richardson and two-time defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah. She stated it’s essential to be leaving the game on her personal phrases, and that the choice isn’t about whether or not she will be able to nonetheless compete on the highest degree.
“There’s not a day I’m getting as much as go follow and I’m like, ‘I’m over this,’” Fraser-Pryce stated.
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AP Summer season Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games