Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce steps away from track and field where it all began — in Japan

TOKYO (AP) — It began 18 years ago in Japan as a reserve on a Jamaica relay team when she won a silver medal in the 2007 world championships in Osaka.

The end of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's storied career — it's been announced for months — came Sunday at the world championships in Tokyo.

Again in Japan, where it all began.

She leaves as the most decorated female 100-meter sprinter in history, though she plans to run on a relay toward the end of the nine-day meet.

She finished only sixth in Sunday's 100 final, but it didn't seem to matter that much.

“I mean as a competitor that isn't how I wanted it to go,” she said. “But on the bright side, I made the finals.”

Not bad for a 38-year-old sprinter who said that 18 years ago she didn't think she “measured up” with other members of the team.

“I actually didn't want to run,” said Fraser-Pryce, who is nicknamed the “Mommy Rocket.” She used to be called the “Pocket Rocket” until she gave birth in 2017.

She planned to retire a year ago at the Paris Olympics, but it all went terribly wrong.

Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the semifinals of the 100 meters in Paris after what officials called a mix-up at the gate. She said she waited about 30 minutes to be let into the stadium and blamed the delay for leaving her in no condition to race. So she pulled out.

“I know last year, not being able to race the semifinals or the finals in Paris was very hard for me, and for me that was one of my motivations in coming here tonight,” Fraser-Pryce said.

“It’s really just finishing what I’ve started and I felt undone in that moment,” she added, flashing a smile under one of her trademark wigs — this time wearing black, gold and green hair to match the Jamaican flag.

The diminutive Fraser-Pryce — just over 5-feet (1.52 meters) — won three Olympic gold medals in her career and eight Olympic medals overall. Add to that, 10 gold medals in world championships and 16 overall — a grand total of 24 in track and field's two biggest events.

She's clearly been an idol, especially for young sprinters in the Caribbean.

“I grew up watching her,” said Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, the 100-meter gold medalist in Paris. “To be on this day competing with her is just amazing.”

Fraser-Pryce ran in the same generation as fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt, who won eight Olympic gold medals and still holds the world records in the 100 and 200.

He got more attention, but she lasted longer.

Bolt is 39, and he said Sunday that Fraser-Pryce made him question why he stepped away from the sport eight years ago.

“It just kind of says that maybe I could have been doing this, too,” Bolt said before her race on Sunday.

“I’m just so impressed with her work rate, and how long she’s been doing it — and the level she’s been doing it at,” Bolt added. “Because a lot of people are still in the game and they’re at the bottom.”

—-

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, left, and The Ivory Coast's Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith react after crossing the finish line in the women's 100 meters heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (5) runs in a women's 100 meters semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce embraces Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred after crossing the finish line while competing in the women's 100 meters semi-final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce looks up after finishing a women's 100 meters heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce looks up after finishing a women's 100 meters heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications, according to a statement released by his family.

Dakota Hunter, vice president of Kyle Busch Companies, said in a news release the family received the medical evaluation on Saturday.

Busch, a two-time NASCAR champion, died at 41 on Thursday, a day after passing out in a Chevrolet simulator.

Sepsis is considered a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body has an extreme, overactive response to an infection, causing the immune system to damage its own tissues and organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Typically the immune system releases chemicals to fight off pathogens like bacteria, viruses or fungi, but with sepsis the response goes into overdrive. The results can cause widespread inflammation, form microscopic blood clots and make blood vessels leak.

Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen on May 10 and radioed in to his team saying that he needed a “shot” from a doctor after the race.

However, he bounced back to win the Trucks Series race at Dover last weekend, and then he finished 17th in the All-Star race on Sunday.

Busch, who was preparing to race Sunday at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

During the emergency call placed late that afternoon, an unidentified caller calmly told the dispatch: “I’ve got an individual that’s (got) shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out, and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood.”

The caller said Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex and told dispatch “he is awake,” according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office. The man then gave directions on where emergency responders should go and asked that they turn off any sirens upon arrival.

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski said he knew Busch wasn’t feeling well recently.

“Yes, but I won’t go into any specifics," Keselowski said. “But then when he ran the Truck race last week, those (thoughts) were honestly kind of erased in my mind.”

Keselowski said running multiple races on the same weekend can be difficult on a driver's health — but most don't want to miss a race for fear of being replaced.

“There’s no shortage of drivers that would love to take my seat or anybody else’s seat if we weren’t feeling well, and I think every driver feels that pressure,” Keselowski said. “All athletes do. It’s not unique to NASCAR in that sense. We’re all thinking to ourselves, ‘I don’t wanna be replaced.’ ... So you try to power through it the best you can."

Busch won 234 races across NASCAR’s top three series over his two-decade career, more than any driver in history.

All 39 drivers in the field for Sunday’s race will race with a black No. 8 decal on their car to honor Busch.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

An in memoriam photo of former driver Kyle Busch is displayed on the video board of the backstretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

FILE - Kyle Busch waits for the start of a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race Saturday, June 19, 2021, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)