Say Yes, Go Hard, and Don’t Shrink—Lessons from a Olympian at Her Son's Sports Day

Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce just defended her title in the 100m parent race at her son’s school sports day. And honestly? I loved every second of it.

Not just because she won (although—of course—she did), but because of what it took to say yes to that moment in the first place.

Let’s be real: a lot of people would’ve said no.

Too busy. Too tired. Don’t want the attention. Don’t want to make other parents uncomfortable.

There are a million reasons someone at her level could’ve passed on that race.

But she didn’t. She showed up, laced up, and ran like the Olympic sprinter she is.

That “yes” wasn’t small. It was powerful.

1. She Said Yes When Others Would’ve Backed Out

There’s a quiet kind of pressure that comes with being great—especially as a woman. A pressure to blend in, play it cool, or minimize your success.

Shelly-Ann had every excuse not to run. She’s one of the greatest sprinters of all time. And this wasn’t the Olympics—it was a school field day with other moms in sneakers and sundresses. The vibe was casual. The expectations were low.

And yet—she stepped into that lane anyway. She didn’t say, “This isn’t worth it.” She didn’t say, “What if I look like I’m trying too hard?” She didn’t say, “What will people think?”

She said yes.

That’s a mindset we can all learn from—because sometimes the brave thing isn’t running a world championship final. Sometimes the brave thing is saying yes when it would’ve been easier to say no.

2. She Ran Like Herself, Not Like the Room

When the gun went off, she didn’t jog. She sprinted.

She didn’t hold back just because the competition wasn’t fierce.

She didn’t coast through it because it was “just for fun.”

She ran like a champion—because that’s what she is.

That moment wasn’t about beating other people. It was about refusing to turn her light down. It was about doing her thing, at her speed, with zero apologies.

That’s the kind of energy we need more of—especially from women. Too often, women are taught to stay connected, stay likable, stay small. But what if we chose courage over comfort? What if we gave our full effort in every setting, not just the high-stakes ones?

What if we let ourselves be great, even when no one’s expecting it?

3. She Didn’t Shrink to Fit In—She Stood Tall and Led

Shelly-Ann didn’t just run a race. She modeled something bigger—for her son, for the other parents, for the world. She modeled what it looks like to embrace your excellence, not apologize for it.

She reminded us that leadership doesn’t always look like a speech or a title. Sometimes it looks like being unapologetically yourself in the middle of a field when everyone else expects you to blend in.

And that’s the kind of confidence I want more people to feel.

Say yes.

Go hard.

Don’t shrink.

You don’t have to match the room. You can elevate it just by being fully you.