Who are Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's parents? Olympic champion's mom worked as street vendor
Jamaican track-and-field sprinter Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce made history on July 31 by clocking a record time as she reached the women's 100 meters final in the Tokyo Olympics. With a timing of 10.63 seconds in the 100 meters event, she was crowned the fastest woman alive. The two-time Olympics gold medalist will be competing in the Women's 200 meters final on August 3, 2021, and is a top medal contender.
Fraser-Pryce rose to fame after her incredible achievements in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and World Championships. The powerhouse athlete overcame hardships and struggles in her life to achieve the pinnacle of success in the domain of athletics. Not much is known about her parents — father Orane Fraser and mother Maxine Simpson — who always encouraged and supported her to strive towards her dreams. The 34-year-old athlete is married to Jason Pryce since 2012 and the couple is doting parents to their son Zyon.
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Who are Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce's parents?
She was born to Orane Fraser and Maxine Simpson in Waterhouse, Kingston of Jamaica, an area infamous for violence and poverty. Shelley-Ann's mother Maxine was a former athlete herself and used to be a runner. However, circumstances drove her to hardships, and she ended up working as an unlicensed street vendor. She helped raise Shelley-Ann and her two brothers with her paltry income.
Maxine Simpson was recently pictured by the Jamaica Observer to be smiling happily, as she took a phone call from her daughter post the 100-meter victory. In fact, the athlete has time and again spoken about her mother's selfless contribution behind her present success. Little is known about Fraser-Pryce's father Orane Fraser as the athlete has not mentioned much about him.
Being a gifted sprinter from her childhood, Shelley-Ann practiced running barefoot in her school days, though she was not sure about opting for a career in athletics. At the age of 16, she won the bronze medal at the Inter-Secondary Schools Boys and Girls Championships. Thereafter, she steadily climbed the pillar of success.
In college, she was trained by Stephen Francis, who was famous for serving as a mentor to Asafa Powell. After Shelley-Ann started achieving success in the national and international stages, she never had to look back. She stunned the world in 2008, as she won the 100-meter gold in Beijing Olympics, becoming the first-ever Caribbean woman to do so. She defended her title in 100 meters in the 2012 London Olympics as well. Now, it remains to be seen whether Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce can create history by winning gold a third time at the Tokyo Olympics.