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• 'Sloley' but surely: massive new personal best a triumph on Krystal’s journey of tears

  In every aspect of life, moments of triumph are often accompanied by tears of joy, and for Jamaican sprinter Krystal Sloley, achieving a massive personal best of 11.09 seconds was no exception. Immediately after she crossed the finish line in second position in the women’s 100m at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational, Sloley’s emotions overflowed, tears streaming down her face as she celebrated a milestone in her athletic journey.

  Many might not understand why her accomplishment is such a big deal, but for Sloley, the road to get there has been marked by challenges, setbacks, and even self-doubt. But through it all, she remained steadfast in her pursuit of excellence.

  In fact, it was only a week ago that Sloley lowered her personal best from 11.27s to 11.25s, which she took apart with the breathtaking performance behind Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith, who opened her season with an impressive 10.91s clocking at the National Stadium, on Saturday.

  “It hasn't been easy. It has been an uphill battle with my mental life and self-belief, even in warm up, I was just talking to myself, coaching myself, because my weakest point was my start and I knew that once I got that, the rest is history. I was not expecting such a fast time, maybe 11.1, but I am happy at the outcome,” Sloley said, her voice trembling with emotion.

  “It was such a pleasure to feed off of the energy of Marie and the other runners. I knew it was a high-quality field, because I was originally supposed to run in the B final, and while warming up, I realized I was in the A final against the top ladies. I really wish I had more time to prepare myself mentally before I came out here physically, but it worked out for the best,” she added.

  Sloley, who found her passion for track and field at Ardenne Preparatory, and later honed her craft at Campion College, recalled how her journey to the triumphant moment was filled with highs and lows, from gruelling training sessions to heartbreaking defeats. But with each setback, particularly now at the senior level at the University of Technology – where she is studying Architecture –she emerged stronger and more determined than ever, fuelled by a burning desire to prove herself on the world stage.

  “It was definitely hard. I would be lying if I said it was easy in terms of how I endured the training sessions, because it's not just doing training sessions with MVP (Track Club), it's the fact that I have to strike a definitive balance between not just MVP’s gruelling training, but also architecture, and to me, I feel like that's two degrees,” Sloley said with a chuckle.

  

  She continued: “Coming from such a rigorous academic program such as Campion and also doing track and field there, I found it manageable, and I feel like I excelled pretty well through the seven years doing both academic and track and field. But I knew that entering a new level of not just training, it's professional training, and not just regular school, it's university…It's my degree, I knew it would be a next step, but I never knew that the thread of that step would have been so steep.

  “So, it was definitely hard. I remember countless times crying on the dorm floor, wondering how I'm going to manage to strike the balance at this level. Even before I started university, it was questionable whether or not I was going to actually stop track and field to pursue the degree and then continue after, but I must say, God carried me through and here I am now.”

  As she reflected on her journey, the 22-year-old third-year student’s thoughts turned to her mother, whose unwavering support has been the driving force behind her pursuit of glory.

  "My mother is my rock, my biggest inspiration. It’s like when the momentum on the swing drops, she's been that push that you need on your back to continue swinging. She has encouraged me through it all, even those questionable doubts that I had about whether to stop track and field or pursue school,” Sloley told SportsMax.TV.

  “She's been my prayer warrior, so she has been behind me, beside me, pulling me, she's been that driving force for me, my biggest motivation. She never lived the life that she gave me, so that also motivates me to reward her for what she has done for me because I'm so grateful and thankful for her,” she shared.

  Besides her new personal best clocking, Sloley described making Jamaica’s team to the 2019 NACAC Championships as her biggest accomplishment, and with the memory of that outing in Mexico still very much fresh on her mind, she now has her sights set on repeating the feat sooner rather than later.

  

  Simply put, she is targeting qualification to this summer’s Paris Olympic Games, and she is more motivated than ever to make that dream a reality. Though it won’t be easy, Sloley is prepared to put in the work and stands ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, confident in her ability to overcome adversity and achieve her goals.

  “I am definitely looking to build on it (new personal best), so from here it will be more self-talk, more positive energy, more training, listening to my coach and more self-belief,” Sloley declared, her voice filled with conviction.

  The women’s sprint events at the National Trials, scheduled for June, will by no means be a walk in the park, as it is expected to feature Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson among others, but Sloley knows taking a lane in the 100m or 200m finals would represent her first steps on the road to Paris, and win or lose, she will compete with a heart full of gratitude and a spirit that refuses to be broken.

  “Of course, my first goal would be to make the Olympic team, obviously. I feel like that's on everybody's radar and it's also on my radar to take an individual spot in any of my respective events, whether it be the 100m or 200m. So that, along with finishing school are my main focus right now,” she noted.

• Bolt hails Shelly’s remarkable legacy; advises Jackson, Thompson-Herah to not be overburdened by milestone chase

  As Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce prepares to bring the curtains down on her remarkable career, another legendary sprinter, Usain Bolt, paid tribute to his esteemed colleague, and also offered words of encouragement to Jamaica's rising stars.

  Earlier this year, Fraser-Pryce, one of Jamaica’s most beloved sporting icons, announced that this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris will be her closing act, and it will mark the end of a decorated and enduring career which spanned over a decade.

  Fraser-Pryce’s success on the track and consistency at major championships, not only helped to usher in the golden age of Jamaican sprinting, but her electrifying speed and unparalleled grace on the track, has resulted in her being regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

  With 16 World Championships medal to her name, the “Pocket Rocket” is one of the most decorated athletes to grace the biennial event, and those are backed by her eight Olympic medals. She is the only sprinter to win five world titles in the 100m —2009, 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2022 –the latter coming at the age of 35, making her the oldest sprinter to achieve the feat.

  The now 37-year-old Fraser-Pryce, who has won more individual medals than any other female sprinter in history, is aiming to possibly bow out on a high on what would be her fifth Olympic Games appearance in Paris. But win or lose, Bolt pointed out that her dedication, tenacity, and unwavering commitment to excellence has already left an indelible mark on the world of track and field.

  “It's just outstanding. I think she's showing me up because that means I could still be running, but for me it's just outstanding to see her at this level and still going further and dominating, being in the medals always, it's just…there's no words, because I know the work that it takes,” Bolt, the ambassador for Red Stripe’s ‘Guh Fi Gold and Glory’ campaign, told journalists during the event’s launch in Half Way Tree recently.

  “So, to be dedicated and to be pushing yourself, even after having a child and coming back to doing that (win a World title), just shows the level that she is at, and how determined she is. The women overall have been doing extremely well. They have really dominated the sport. I'm happy to see that,” he added.

  

  Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medallist and the world’s fastest man over 100m and 200m, also offered words of encouragement to Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who along with Fraser-Pryce are the nation's brightest talents.

  Jackson, 29, is the fastest woman alive over 200m at 21.41s, inching ever closer to Florence Joyner’s World Record of 21.34s, while Thompson-Herah, 31, is the fastest woman alive over 100m at 10.54s, and second fastest over 200m at 21.53s.

  “I want to tell her [Jackson] to just continue. I think a lot of times, we go in (a race) and think about breaking the record, that's when it really puts a lot of pressure on us. I would tell her, just go in and run your best race. Do not think about the record. The moment you start thinking about records, that's when you might tighten up at the end because you really want to get there, or you might make simple mistakes. So just go out there, think about executing and just run your hardest,” Bolt shared.

  Where Thompson-Herah is concerned, she is the first ever female sprinter, and the second sprinter after Bolt to win the sprint double at consecutive Olympics, as she captured the 100m and 200m gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is now aiming to rewrite the history books, by repeating the feat for a third time on the trot, at the Paris Games.

  

  “[To Elaine], I would say don't stress yourself too much because with that (the triple double) on your mind, at times, you kind of try to work too hard and push yourself over the limit. Just do what you always do. Do what you know what you need to do to get there. Do not try to do anything extra,” Bolt said.

  “Just do the necessary training, necessary rest, the necessary workouts and I think you'll be fine. Because staying away from injuries...I think she's been through a lot, so staying injury free is always going to be the top priority right now, and I think that should be her focus. Just doing the right things and making sure she's ready when it matters,” he reasoned.

  Finally, to those up-and-coming athletes that are on course to making their first Olympic appearance, Bolt had this to say.

  “Just enjoy yourself. It’s a great experience, so just enjoy the whole thing. The Olympics is a different game because there will be so many things happening, so enjoy the moment. You might see a lot of basketball players, swimmers and everybody. So, the key thing is just to enjoy and to see what's going on, it is going to be wonderful,” he ended.

• Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce kicks off her 2024 community outreach with Easter Treat in Waterhouse

  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the celebrated Olympic gold medalist known affectionately as the "Pocket Rocket," ignited the spirit of Easter joy in her beloved Waterhouse community with a heartwarming gesture that echoed her commitment to social outreach. On the bright Saturday morning of March 30th, the SFP Pocket Rocket Foundation launched its annual Easter Treat, marking the onset of its community engagement efforts for the year 2024.

  With the indomitable Shelly-Ann herself at the forefront, the Foundation embarked on a mission to spread cheer and goodwill. Armed with over $500,000 worth of the quintessential Jamaican Easter fare—bun and cheese—the Mommy Rocket took to the streets of Ashoka Road, beckoning her neighbors to partake in the festivities.

  In a display of her down-to-earth demeanor, Shelly-Ann extended a simple yet heartfelt invitation to the community members, urging them to gather at her grandmother's humble abode to receive their Easter treats. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as residents eagerly lined up, each clutching their PRF-branded bags in anticipation of the delights within.

  The scale of this year's Easter Treat dwarfed its predecessors, a testament to the growing impact of the Foundation's endeavors. Where once a modest gathering of around a hundred souls had been the norm, now over 300 individuals found themselves beneficiaries of Shelly-Ann's generosity.

  The significance of this event reverberated throughout Waterhouse, a neighborhood that had long been touched by the benevolent efforts of the Pocket Rocket Foundation. Just a few months prior, the Foundation had celebrated a decade of unwavering dedication to community development with a grand Fundraising Gala. Thanks to the unwavering support of donors, the Foundation had been empowered to expand its reach, ensuring that even more souls could partake in the joyous Easter festivities.

  As the day drew to a close and the last bag of bun and cheese found its home, the echoes of laughter and gratitude lingered in the air. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, with her boundless energy and compassionate spirit, had once again exemplified the true essence of Easter—unity, generosity, and the simple joy of giving. In the hearts of the Waterhouse community, her legacy as a champion both on and off the track would forever endure.