Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Is Having A Weird Post-Olympics

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Is Having A Weird Post-Olympics

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has been having an interesting off-season in Jamaica. The Olympic gold medalist reportedly left the MVP track club, joined another group, then was forced to return to MVP. What's going on?

Dec 2, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Is Having A Weird Post-Olympics
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is in the midst of an interesting offseason in Jamaica. Fraser-Pryce, who turns 30 on December 27, reportedly left the MVP Track Club in early November. MVP coach Stephen Francis has trained Fraser-Pryce since her reign of sprint Olympic and world championship victories began in 2008--and ended in Rio this summer.

A few days later, the Jamaica Observer reported that Fraser-Pryce joined coach Reynaldo Walcott--a former coach with MVP--at St. Elizabeth Technical High Sports Complex in Santa Cruz. 

The Jamaica Gleaner reported on November 19 that Nike, Fraser-Pryce's longtime sponsor, preferred that Fraser-Pryce remain with MVP or join another Nike-based training group, with Allyson Felix's group in Los Angeles in mind. Then, the Observer reported on November 29 that Fraser-Pryce was indeed back with the MVP club.

Whatever the reasons may be, it seems that Fraser-Pryce was perhaps itching to make a change after a disappointing 2016 season. Why leave the training program you have been with for 16 years in an upcoming world championship year unless you were unhappy with the situation? Fraser-Pryce won 100m Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012 but suffered a toe injury last season and fell to bronze behind her fellow countrywoman Elaine Thompson and American Tori Bowie in Rio. She only won two 100m races--out of six--in 2016.