The King and Queen of Track and Field

Before reading

Jamaica has many top athletes. Do you know the names of any Jamaican athletes?

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was born in 1986 in Waterhouse, a poor part of Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston. She used to run to school barefoot and developed a talent for running. At the age of ten, she started competing in 60, 100 and 200 metre races. “Growing up as a poor girl, I had dreams of going to the Olympics and to university,” she says. “When I started high school, a kind woman saw my talent and paid for my education.” This helped Shelly-Ann become even better at her sport. Her coach nicknamed her Pocket Rocket because she is small and fast. As a young girl, Shelly-Ann trained hard and started to win medals and set records. She won a gold medal in sprint at the Bejing Olympics in 2008 and became the fastest woman in the world in the London Olympics in 2012. She has won gold and other medals in every Olympic Games she has competed in, as well as in World and National Championships. She became a sporting legend when she won an individual silver medal in the 100 metres sprint and a gold medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay in Tokyo, her fourth Olympic Games. Shelly-Ann is married to Jason Pryce and has a son, Zyon. She thinks it is important to remember her roots and to track and field friidrett athletes idrettsutøvere developed utviklet competing å konkurrere high school ungdoms- og videregående skole coach trener realise virkeliggjøre Vurderingseksemplar encourage young people to do well. The Pocket Rocket Foundation, which she started, helps high school athletes. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, and she helps children. Shelly Ann says: “Through my work with UNICEF, I want to help Jamaican children realise their dreams. I want them to believe that nothing is impossible.”

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt was born in 1986 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He impressed the world by winning gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay and setting new records in all distances in three straight Olympic Games. “Lightning Bolt” was the fastest man on Earth during his sporting career. People call him the greatest sprinter of all time. Bolt’s success was due to more than his results. He was a true showman, always flirting and joking with the photographers and the audience. Usain loved being the centre of attention. The lightning pose was his trademark. Engaging with the audience made him extremely popular. No one could draw a crowd like Usain Bolt!

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Talk about it!

a At what age do you think an athlete is at his/her best? b Why are these two athletes so popular? c Why are athletes often seen as role models?