"Real legend" - Usain Bolt pays tribute as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce runs final individual race of career at World Championships 2025

Track icon Usain Bolt penned a heartfelt tribute to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce after she ran her final individual race at the World Athletics Championships 2025. Fraser-Pryce clocked a time of 11.03s in the women’s 100m to finish sixth in the finals.

She had earlier reached the 100m semifinals with a time of 11.00s, after clocking 11.09s in her qualification heats.

After her 100m race at the World Athletics Championships, the retired 11-time world champion Usain Bolt shared a heartwarming message for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, writing on his social media:

“Big up yourself @realshellyannfp 👑 Congrats on all your achievements over the years 🥇🥇🥇 Incredible Legacy you set 💯🙌🏿 Real Legend 🥇🏆 PS. Welcome to the retirement club @realshellyannfp"

In the finals, it was Melissa Jefferson-Wooden who claimed her first-ever World Championships title, winning with a remarkable championship record time of 10.61s. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s compatriot Tina Clayton won the silver medal with a 10.76s run. The 2023 world champion Sha'Carri Richardson narrowly missed the podium with a time of 10.88s, also a season-best performance for the American.

Notably, Usain Bolt was in attendance at the World Championships in Tokyo, where he watched the men’s 100m final. Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won the gold, Kishane Thompson secured the silver and Noah Lyles earned the bronze medal.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce expresses gratitude at being able to compete again after Paris Olympics setback

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025. Source: Getty

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce shared her gratitude for being able to compete again after her setback at the Paris Olympics 2024. Although she had qualified for the Games and advanced to the semifinals, she was unable to race due to injury, which ultimately ended her campaign.

After reaching the final of the World Athletics Championships 2025, she expressed a sense of relief, stating in an interview with BBC Sport:

“I have to give God thanks. Last year I didn't get to go to the line, and I was devastated. But this year, I got the opportunity to get to the line, and being able to get to the finals was a big accomplishment within itself. I’m giving God thanks and looking forward to the 4x100m relay. May be when I head home, I will have all the feels.”

Fraser-Pryce is expected to race the final event of her career, concluding her journey with participation in the women’s 4x100m relay. The heats are scheduled for Saturday, September 20, while the final will take place on Sunday, September 21.

About the author

Abhiruchi is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Athletics, Swimming, Gymnastics, and Wrestling among other sports. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has over 2 years of prior experience in the sports journalism sector.

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are Abhiruchi’s favorite Olympians. She began following them in 2018, and seeing their transformation from initially not wanting to play together to becoming the world's top-ranked men's doubles pair inspires her.

Track & Field excites Abhiruchi the most because of the diverse range of events involved in it. Neeraj Chopra's historic performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics stands as her favorite Olympic moment as it was India’s first gold in track and field events. She feels that focus should be placed on up-and-coming athletes to increase the coverage of Olympic sports during the off-season.

Abhiruchi applies journalistic principles learnt while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree by prioritizing first-hand information, cross-checking via multiple reliable sources, and fact-checking for accuracy. She follows reputed sources and numerous established athletes on social media platforms to remain updated.

When not reporting, Abhiruchi enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

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Edited by Abhiruchi Rout