Fraser-Pryce building beyond the finish line

Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce said she is increasingly using the lessons from her 18-year athletics career to advocate for greater investment, resources, and infrastructure for Jamaica’s next generation of athletes.

Fraser-Pryce, who has transitioned from active competition into a growing role in advocacy, says her focus is now on using her experience to help young athletes navigate the sporting landscape more effectively.

The former Olympic and world champion, speaking during another cohort intake for her Pocket Rocket Foundation, said the shift from competing to advocating has allowed her to participate in conversations that extend beyond her individual achievements.

“The shift has been phenomenal,” Fraser-Pryce said. “I’ve been able to be a part of conversations that are larger than myself and being able to lend my expertise as being an 18-year veteran in the sport.”

Fraser-Pryce said her advocacy has also taken on a regional dimension, with opportunities to speak about the challenges facing athletes not only in Jamaica but across the Caribbean.

She believes that the region has no shortage of talent but said greater attention must be paid to the systems supporting athletes before they reach the international stage.

“Jamaica doesn’t lack talent. We have so much talent here in the region and in Jamaica primarily. What we lack is the infrastructure and the resources to help develop our athletes,” she said.

THE POCKET ROCKET FOUNDATION

But Fraser-Pryce is not only involved in conversations, She is also a woman of action through her Pocket Rocket Foundation.

The foundation, which she established 13 years ago, has continued to provide student-athletes with access to education, knowledge, and opportunities to develop beyond sport.

For Fraser-Pryce, the ultimate measure of the foundation’s success is not how many recipients go on to become professional athletes but the kind of people they become.

She said seeing former recipients progress from student-athletes into professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and advocates has provided her with the greatest satisfaction.

“The true joy that we have is that our investment would have made sense not if they become professional athletes but if they become individuals of the world,” she said.

As another cohort comes through the foundation, Fraser-Pryce said the experience remains emotional because she has witnessed first-hand the long-term impact of the programme.

She is also hoping to use the knowledge accumulated throughout her career to make the journey easier for those following behind her.

“It’s really just using what I have learnt over these years to see how best I can help the next girl or the next athlete navigate the space in a successful way but also a knowledgeable way,” Fraser-Pryce said.

“What would have taken me 10 years, I’m hoping would not take the next girl 10 years. It would, maybe, take her five years.”

Fraser-Pryce said investment in athletes must begin before they reach the podium, with a properly structured system capable of nurturing and supporting them throughout their development.

“We need an ecosystem that’s not only qualified but they’re able to nurture the athletes and support the athletes 100 per cent and give them the platform.”

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com