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“It didn’t make sense leaving without bringing home gold,” Fraser-Pryce jokes about decision to run parents’ race at son’s sports day
Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in Athletics. | 03 April 2023 | 1112 Views
Tags: Athletics, Jamaica, Shellyann Fraser Pryce, Sports Day

 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce said she felt ‘compelled’ to defend her family’s honour when against her better judgement and her coach’s advice she entered the parents’ race at her son Zyon’s school sports day last week Friday.

A video of the fastest mommy on the planet decimating other mommies in a dash went viral and was eventually published on global online platforms including the BBC, Sky Sports and Sportsbible.

But why would a woman considered the best 100m female sprinter of all time, risk possible injury by competing in an inconsequential event even as she prepares to win a record-extending sixth 100m world title in Budapest in five months?

She explained that after watching her son and husband fall short, she was ‘overwhelmed’ by competitive spirit that helped propel her to two Olympic 100m gold medals, a record five world titles and to becoming the second-fastest woman alive.

 “I feel like I have been waiting all my life for this moment,” she joked on Sunday in a post on Instagram that included a video that chronicled the events of last Friday.

“I initially had no intention of running in the parents’ race – even my coach advised me not to run but my teammates weren’t doing so hot.

“Zyon ran his first race and fell, He tried again and got bronze in the obstacle race. So, I sent Jason (her husband) to handle business and bring home gold in the male parent race, but that didn’t go so well either.”

It was against that background that she decided to step in and right the wrongs.

“And, as an Olympian,” she continued, “it just didn’t make sense for us to leave without bringing home a single piece of gold, so I decided to race.

“We ended up getting two bronze medals…a participation medal and a first-place medal in the women’s parent race to redeem the Pryce’s family name. All in all, I’m so proud of my son and happy enjoyed sports day.”

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