Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce pens a message of gratitude as she officially retires from athletics, stating 'it's simply a lane change'

Track legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has officially announced her retirement from athletics, penning a message of gratitude to her family, country, and fans globally, stating 'it's simply a lane change.'

The Jamaican sprint queen penned her emotional message of gratitude on her Instagram page, as she marked the end of her final season as a professional runner.

"This sport has given me joy beyond measure. It has shaped me, disciplined me, and carried me to heights I could only dream of as a young girl in Waterhouse. Yet as I reflect, I no longer see time only in seconds; I see it in years. The years I gave to sprinting will forever remain among the greatest of my life,” wrote Fraser-Pryce.

Also thanking her country, the five-time world 100m champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist wrote:

"I am a proud daughter of the soil, and I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Jamaica. To my fellow Jamaicans—thank you for your unyielding love, loyalty, and pride that have propelled me year after year. It has been the greatest honor to carry our flag across the world. We may be small, but we are mighty, and I am humbled to have represented the strength of our nation with passion on the global stage."

Fraser-Pryce first won the hearts of track and field enthusiasts globally when, as a very much unknown sprinter at age 21, blazed to the women's 100m gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, thus becoming the first Jamaican and Caribbean woman to become an Olympic champion in the event.

Since then, she has gone on to become a trailblazer, scooping five world titles (one of which was in 2022, just over a year after giving birth to her son Zyon, thus making her the first mother to become a world champion), and adding several other medals and accolades that cemented her as a legend in the sport.

Having had an illustrious career that spanned eighteen years, the 38-year-old track icon finally made her last career appearance at the end of the Tokyo 2025 World Championships.

In her last dance on the track in Tokyo, Fraser-Pryce still showed her resilience and greatness again by getting to the women's 100m final, as she settled for a respectable sixth-place finish, before running a vital first leg for the young Jamaican 4x100m relay squad as they blazed to the silver medal.

As her legendary career finally comes to an end with a legacy that may never be matched, Fraser-Pryce stated in her final farewell message that she's passing the baton to the next generation, knowing her race is not finished but it is simply a lane change.

“I know my race is not finished; it is simply a lane change. This new chapter is about passing on the lessons the sport has given me, using my voice to advocate for others, and helping the next generation shine even brighter. Sprinting gave me a global stage, but faith gives me a greater mission," she added.

"From Waterhouse to the world, every second has been for something greater. And as I pass the baton to the next generation, let this be your reminder that time will honour your greatness.”

Fraser-Pryce will forever remain in the annals of history as a role model to several athletes globally and arguably the greatest female sprinter to ever grace the sport.