Ashoka Road, the street in Kingston’s Waterhouse community where Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce grew up, has officially been renamed in her honour. The sprint legend, who has won three Olympic golds and 10 world titles, attended the unveiling of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Drive on Sunday, May 25.
The renaming was led by the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), which had approved the change following a motion brought by Waterhouse Division Councillor Byron Clarke last October.
The new street sign was briefly marred by a spelling error, “Fraser-Price” instead of “Fraser-Pryce”, but the KSAMC replaced it the following morning and issued a public apology.
Fraser-Pryce was joined by her husband, Jason Pryce, and their son, Zyon, at the event. While the sign’s typo caught attention, the ceremony remained celebratory. In her remarks, she reflected on her early years of training in the same streets where the sign now stands.
“This is the path that I took daily, year after year,” she said. “The kids on this street will take it as well, and they will know that they are also destined for greatness.”
Local officials and community members echoed that sentiment, calling the renaming a meaningful gesture for young people in Waterhouse. Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby said the tribute is as much for them as it is for Fraser-Pryce: “It’s for every child in this community who walks to school with a big dream.”
The honour comes just months after Fraser-Pryce received the Key to the City of Kingston in February. At that event, she surprised attendees by announcing a $50,000 USD donation to Wolmer’s Girls’ School, her alma mater.
Now 38, Fraser-Pryce remains one of Jamaica’s most celebrated athletes. She has hinted that 2025 may mark her final season, but no formal retirement plans have been confirmed. Whether she returns to the track or not, the sign bearing her name in Waterhouse is a permanent reminder of how far she’s come—and how far others from the same streets might go.
