“Unfinished business.” That was Nike’s rallying cry last April when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made her much-anticipated return to the track. Now, as the Paris Olympics slip out of reach due to injury, the sprint legend was preparing to begin her 24th season in track and field. But so far in 2025, the results haven’t told the story fans hoped for. Aside from a season debut at Velocity Fest in Kingston on April 19, where she didn’t take the top spot, Shelly-Ann has struggled to find her rhythm. Her appearance at the Doha Diamond League—her first since 2021—saw her finish fourth in the women’s 100m. And at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, her performance in the Jamaican women’s 4x100m relay team was far from her usual sharp form. Then came a new twist.

On May 25, track and field analyst Kemal Forde posted on X, sounding the alarm bells— “🇯🇲 Exactly one month before the Jamaica National Championship. Here are the top three fastest athletes across sprints and hurdles.” His list of 100m leaders was telling: Tia Clayton – 10.92, Tina Clayton – 11.02, Shericka Jackson – 11.04. Notably absent? Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. So, with the 2025 World Athletics Championships on the horizon, should fans be concerned? Not quite, says the 10-time world champion herself.

In a recent public appearance where the street she grew up on—Ashoka Road—was renamed in her honor, Shelly-Ann shared her mindset moving forward, “I believe that this season will be one of my greatest season yet and I’m grateful for all the opportunities that I get to raise and the competition. I’m looking forward to celebrating this year in fine style. I know my body, I know how I feel, I know what I’m looking forward to and I’m excited for where I’m at and I’m looking forward to where I’m going,” she said. Her words, spoken with conviction, signal that she’s not writing off this season—far from it. And about the small hiccup during the renaming ceremony? 

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation made a noticeable typo on the commemorative plaque: her name was spelled “Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price” instead of “Fraser-Pryce.” But true to form, the sprint queen brushed it off with grace. “The same street that I ran up and down on, the same street that the community members cheered me on, (the same street, you know, that my family grew up on, to be able to rename the Shelley Ann Fraser-Pryce. A huge honor, and I am so grateful and filled with a lot of gratitude and humility just for what took place today,” she claimed. Well, despite a shaky start to the season, Shelly-Ann’s words—and her legacy—remind us why she’s still one of the most respected figures in track and field. And what about plaque? 

Just hours after the misspelled plaque stirred up chatter online, KSAMC CEO Robert Hill made a promise: the correct sign would be installed in under 12 hours. True to his word, by Monday, the fix was in place—swift, respectful, and fitting for a national icon. Even more heartwarming? Orrin Fraser, Shelly-Ann’s father, showed up at the newly corrected street sign, proudly posing for photos in front of the name that now stood tall and accurate: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. It was a quiet, yet powerful moment of family pride—one that reminded many Jamaicans of just how deeply rooted her story is in the streets of Waterhouse. But with the sign now standing as it should, attention shifts back to the track. Can the sprint queen reclaim her crown on the world stage? With the Tokyo World Athletics Championships fast approaching, the question looms large: What version of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will we see?

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the World Athletics Championships…

For Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, every race isn’t just a competition—it’s an opportunity. And in 2025, those opportunities will feel more meaningful than ever. How? Last year, her dream of closing out her Olympic journey on her own terms came to a heartbreaking halt. Injuries sidelined her from the Paris Olympics, robbing fans of one last look at the five-time Olympian on the sport’s grandest stage. She missed the women’s 100m semifinal. Then, heartbreak deepened—she was absent again for the 4x100m relay final, quietly exiting what was supposed to be her Olympic swan song. It wasn’t the first setback either.