“We are very encouraged,” said Jamaican anchor Jonielle Smith after their 4x100m relay team, including Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton, and Jodeen Williams, blazed through the heats with a 41.80 SB and secured their spot in the finals. “The aim was to qualify safely and efficiently and I think we did a great job,” She added. This year, there was no room for error. The quartet could afford no slip-ups, unlike previous championships. Why? Jamaica is hungry for payback after their 2023 Budapest defeat, and they aim to give their queen, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a golden farewell in what promises to be the final, unforgettable race of her illustrious career.

Jamaica stormed their heat with a season’s best of 41.80, leaving Spain (42.53) and France (42.71) trailing behind. Canada (42.38) and Poland (42.83) advanced on time to complete the lineup. With their finals spot secured, the Jamaicans vowed to chase gold and dedicate it to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. After their record-breaking performance, while having a conversation with the media, Tina Clayton had some sweet words for the former queen of track and field. She added, “We shout out, I guess, Shelly. She was there with us and she motivated us, and she was there throughout our warm-up till the call room.”

She further added, “So, she was a great inspiration to us coming out here and just to qualify for the finals.” When the reporter asked the athlete whether the team is planning to ensure that Ann Fraser-Pryce gets the best farewell possible, “Well, every time I touch a shirt, I always put my all out. And you know, when you’re a part of an arena, you’re not just doing this for yourself, you’re doing it for the team. So now, the team depends on me.”

Shelly didn’t just collect medals; she redefined what greatness looks like. Ten World Championship golds, four silvers, and a bronze made her name untouchable on the track, while the Olympic stage saw her shine with three golds, four silvers, and a bronze. Even her final act, a sixth-place finish in 2025, could not dim the brilliance of a career built on dominance, dignity, and dreams fulfilled.

Hers isn’t just a record book—it’s an era, a legacy that will echo for generations. The medals were never the end goal; they were simply milestones on the path to her dream. Her true legacy lies in the countless talents she’s nurtured and inspired over the years. From Tina and Tia Clayton to Sha’Carri Richardson, athletes across the globe have drawn strength from her journey. Shelly’s footsteps are no longer just marks on a track; they’ve been etched into the very history of the sport, immortalized for all time. Well, the real team is not the only one to wish her a happy farewell.

Shericka Jackson Makes Feelings Clear About Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

After securing third place, Jackson stepped into the post-race press conference, where talk quickly turned to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s influence on Jamaican athletics. With a warm smile, she reflected on how the sprint icon shaped her own journey. “I remember I used to watch Shelly compete. I remember, I think it was the year 2013—they did really, really well. I wanted to join MVP because that’s the year I left school,” Jackson shared, crediting Fraser-Pryce as the driving force behind her decision to join the MVP camp.

She further added, “I’ve always been watching sprinting because I have a love for sprinting, but I was a quarter-miler. It’s just a good feeling. I’ve competed with her for the longest since 2021 or 2018, in Commonwealth years. It’s just fun to see her at this age come out and put on a show, make a final. Not many can do that. It’s really, really good for her to show up. We did well. You have to give her her flowers. I think she got her flowers.”

With Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce bidding farewell to the track, the spotlight now shifts to Shericka Jackson, Tina Clayton, Tia Clayton, and others—the torchbearers of Jamaican sprinting glory. Fueled by medals and driven until the next star rises, Jackson’s journey has been shaped by a bond with Fraser-Pryce built on mentorship, respect, and unshakable friendship.