What happened to the Jamaican women sprinters at the Paris Olympics?

The 2024 Olympic Games were a headline magnet, from that much-discussed pole vaulter to the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif and the circulation of Snoop Dogg’s rare trading pins.

As the Olympic closing celebrations wrap up, one lesser-known story has captured people’s attention, courtesy of the prolific Jamaican women’s sprinting team. In case you missed it, the Jamaican sprinting trio of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah were notably absent at major events at this year’s Olympics, ending their run as some of the most decorated athletes in the world.

What happened to the Jamaican women sprinters?

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah, among the most decorated sprinters in the world, did not compete at the Paris Olympics. Their absence was especially notable given that the trio boast an astounding 19 Olympic medals between them, establishing them as frontrunners in the sprinting heats ahead of the 2024 Olympics. 

This frontrunner status was dealt its first blow in June 2024, when Thompson-Herah announced that she would be skipping the Olympics due to an injury sustained at the athletics New York Grand Prix. Thompson-Herah injured her Achilles tendon during the event, forcing her to sit out of the Olympics just weeks before they were due to kick off. 

For her part, Fraser-Pryce — who is regarded as one of the greatest woman sprinters of all time — pulled out from her scheduled race just hours before it started. Fraser-Pyrce was due to compete in the women’s 100m semifinal (and the final if she won), but she dropped out of the race and her designated lane remained empty. 

It was tipped to be a major career moment for Fraser-Pryce, as she had announced her plans to retire after Paris, but her no-show shocked fans. No explicit reason was given for her absence, though she thanked fans for their support and shared her “disappointment” in a social media statement. 

Then came the news that Shericka Jackson, the world’s second-fastest woman, would also be skipping the 100m sprint in Paris. That withdrawal was said to be in an effort to “protect my body”, but she also went on to drop out of the 200m event as well. No reason was given for Jackson’s exit from the second race, though it’s thought to also be because of an injury. 

Regardless of their absence at Paris, Thompson-Herah, Jackson and Fraser-Pryce will still be remembered as one of the most successful sprinting trios in Olympics history.