Having a baby is a magical experience, but it can also be a very challenging one. Being pregnant isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It involves a lot of physical and mental stress and it can take its toll on a woman’s lifestyle, especially if she happens to be a world famous athlete.
Jamaican runner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a legend of track and field. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she became the first Caribbean woman to win a 100m gold medal at the Olympics at just 21 and has continued to enjoy amazing success in the years that have followed, being regarded as perhaps the greatest female sprinter the world has ever seen.
She’s also a mother, welcoming her baby boy, Zyon, into the world in August of 2017. Her pregnancy meant she had to skip out on a lot of training, missing the entire 2017 season.
Many people celebrate pregnancy, feeling nothing but joy, but for Fraser-Pryce, the news came as quite a shock and left her in a very emotional state.
She revealed that she simply “sat on her bed and cried” after learning she was pregnant. She was happy about the idea of being a mother, but distressed at the thought that her storied career might be over.
Fraser-Pryce feared that the changes to her body during pregnancy, combined with so much time off the track and away from training, would make it almost impossible for her to return to her pre-pregnancy levels of fitness. Meanwhile, her competitors were only getting stronger, sensing an opportunity to finally dethrone the champ.
To make matters even more stressful, Fraser-Pryce’s son was born two months early and had to spend a lot of time in intensive care.
Fortunately, Zyon got the care he needed and Fraser-Pryce found new determination to hit the gym, get back into intensive training, and push herself harder than ever before in a bid to win yet another title.
I knew how I felt and I knew I wasn’t ready to go. I had something left to do, and I stayed focused on the goal.
And she pulled it off, winning the 100m final at the World Championships in Doha at the age of 32, making her the oldest woman to ever win the title and the only mother to claim it too.
Fraser-Pryce called her phenomenal performance “A victory for motherhood!” She added:
My secret is just staying humble and just know who you are as a person and athlete and just continue to work hard.
Little Zyon, now 2 years old, was there to celebrate with his mama too.
Standing here having done it again at 32, and holding my baby, is a dream come true. I had no sleep last night. Last time I was at a major championship was 2016 and I just could not sleep with nerves. But with mental toughness you will get what you want. I can’t believe it. I worked so hard to be back. The field was so strong I had to come good here and I’m so excited to come out with victory.
What an inspiration!
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