‘Look at wi road now’

EXCITEMENT HAS been permeating Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Drive in St Andrew, renamed for the little girl who ran on the former Ashoka Road, now celebrated as the greatest female sprinter of all time.

Thousands of miles away, their most famous native is already performing in what she has already said will be her final global event.

Fraser-Pryce has hailed her upbringing in the tough inner-city community of Waterhouse as being the foundation of her rise from poverty to her position as a symbol for what can be achieved.

Among the long-time residents of the community who spoke with The Sunday Gleaner during a visit last Wednesday was retired footballer Donovan English, father of late national footballer Irvino English.

“Mi know har from she inna belly. From har madda a likkle pickney, ah wi and dem a roll and ting. Shelly-Ann grow right here, but mi neva know dat she woulda tek up running. To me, as far as mi can remember, is when she reach Wolmer’s [High School for Girls] that’s when mi hear dem a talk bout har and a call har ‘Grasshopper’ – mussi how she leave the blocks, yeah. But it was kinda surprising how far she reach because yeah, she use to run up and dung, but every pickney run and up and dung, suh mi neva know she woulda reach dis big. My son (Irvino) a national baller, y’know. Two a dem born round here, live right across from each other. Mi proud a har man, mi proud.”

Another elderly resident, Dawn Reid, also recalled Fraser-Pryce as a little girl.

“I know Shelly-Ann Fraser from she just born. I know her when she small, growing up, going primary school then Wolmer’s and start [athletics] from there. I am very proud. Very good coming from the ghetto. Before Shelly-Ann-Fraser win the first race, when rain fall here suh, it take three and four days fi water run offa dis road. Oh my God, look at wi road now and now our road have har name. I am very proud.”

Another resident, Annmarie, says she was proud but not surprised when Fraser-Pryce set the world on fire.

“I used to har, she guh to school and har madda live here long time. Yeah, man, she’s a good girl, nice girl. Mi like what she doing for the community and suh ... . She always running suh mi did know she ah guh be a runner because every time she a run and she fast. Mi feel happy fi har when mi see har on the world stage.”

Aneisha Powell, who told The Sunday Gleaner that she and Fraser-Pryce were next-door neighbours, bemoaned the absence of play among today’s children even as she reminisced on their childhood.

“We usually run up and dung and play on Ashoka Road – dandy shandy, race one annoda, all kinda dem sumpn deh, all kinda ring game, but dem children nowadays nah play dem ring game, just tablet.”

But Aneisha admits she never dreamt that her childhood playmate would become a global icon.

“When she start guh Wolmer’s now and mi see say she start run and when she qualify fi Jamaica team now, ah suh now wi kinda believe, and then when she win the gold medal, wi say ‘yeah’ and wi run up and down and wi celebrate har and all kinda something. Mi nuh memba which year, but when she defend har Olympic title, mi did deh Half-Way Tree a watch it. Dat time somebody stole mi phone and mi did haffi guh replace mi chip and ah pan di big screen a Half-Way Tree mi watch it and mi jump up and dung and mi all come pan TV. Mi shout out say, ‘Ah mi neighbour! Ah mi neighbour!’. Suh mi proud a har you know.

“Mi know say har body nuh suh fit like one time again, but mi woulda wah she get even di bronze. Mi woulda wah har fi get it like how is har final competition and just give har a likkle happy send-off.”

Another resident, Kadian, hailed Fraser-Pryce’s strong drive and noted that the community will be supporting her in whatever she decides to do next.

“So far, what I have seen she’s a very progressive young lady. I see where she strives for excellence and basically whatever she puts her mind to, she tries her best to achieve. I see where she looks out for the young children in the community because every year she keeps a back-to-school treat and that is very commendable for a young lady to try and help her community members. I see where she even look out for elderly persons because there are times when she gives care packages as well. I commend her on that and I just want to say to her that I see where she’s coming to an end in regards to her career path but we do appreciate her and we salute her and want her to excel in whatever she does next and as the community members, we are going to support her in whatever she does.”

Two of her family members spoke with The Sunday Gleaner in the yard where Fraser-Pryce once played.

Deidra, aka Maureen, married to Fraser-Pryce’s uncle, hailed the international icon for being a motivational force for young people in the community.

“Well, I didn’t know her when she was a little girl, but after she had grown up – maybe about in high school. That’s the time when I heard about her and eventually know her running the streets and stuff like that. She’s a good person, whatever she says she’s gonna do, she’s will do it. I commend her a lot for all the struggles from a child growing up until now. I am extremely proud of her and all her achievements, everything that she has accomplished because when you grow in the ghetto, the ghetto is like a stigma, so people tend to put you down. But she has made an impact on a lot of the teenagers, a lot of the young girls, a lot of the young guys, because good can come from nothing, and she has done that and she has done that well.

“She has displayed that is not where you coming from but is where you are going and that makes me proud of her not as an in-law but as an individual, because a lot a people say a ghetto she come from, she nah come to nothing. But she has made a lot a difference and that makes me proud.”

Her aunt-in-law says she remains in awe of Fraser-Pryce’s glitzy career.

“I still wonder up until today because when she ran 2008, I was like, ‘Wow this is the beginning of a new era for Waterhouse, and not only for Waterhouse but for Jamaica itself.’ So you know she is doing her stuff she has done her stuff and whatever comes after with God’s plan for this World Championships, I am elated.

“Whatever the result is, we are still proud of her, whatever God desires, because it’s not our doing, it’s God’s doing and he has brought her this far and I think she has a lot more to accomplish.”

Her cousin Lucas shared similar sentiments, insisting that he does not rule out Fraser-Pryce ending the World Championships with a podium finish.

“She is a very jovial person, very determined, always into her athletics, books also. She always a run from har madda, always a run up and dung suh she did have that inna har from a very tender age. I am very proud of her and very glad for where she’s at now. So many hurdles, obstacles she come across and I’m so very proud of her.”

Alma Lawrence has been operating a shop on the famous roadway for 22 years and recalls Fraser-Pryce buying her favourite food.

“The only part I can remember she use to stop by to buy Grace tin sausage. Is the only product mi use to remember selling her, but I don’t know if she run to the shop but I know she always stop to get her Grace tin sausage. She was a quiet girl and I know she was training to be an athlete but I was surprised how far she reach. Oh gosh! Goosebumps! That was so good.”

Fraser-Pryce has several interests outside of track and field and while she has made public that this World Championships will be her last, she has not indicated what comes next.

But at least one resident has decided where she would like to see Fraser-Pryce focus her considerable interests next.

Kimona told The Sunday Gleaner she believes the former resident has a future in politics.

“Honestly, mi woulda wah Shelly run fi MP (member of parliament) fi di Waterhouse community because Shelly-Ann a good girl. Shelly keep the treat, Shelly-Ann keep di Christmas party and mek sure di pickney dem alright. All when wi nuh see MP, wi si Shelly. Suh all when di people dem inna di community dishonest, she always a come to wi and mek sure wi get di best. Big up yuhself, Shelly-Ann. One love.”

karen.madden@gleanerjm.com