Notsolongagomostpeopledidn’tknowwhoShellyAnnFrancisPrycewasgoingtobecome.Shewasjustanaveragehighschoolathlete.TherewaseveryindicationthatshewasjustanotherAmericanteenagerwithoutmuchofafuture.

　　Notsolongagomostpeopledidn’tknowwhoShellyAnnFrancisPrycewasgoingtobecome.Shewasjustanaveragehighschoolathlete.TherewaseveryindicationthatshewasjustanotherAmericanteenagerwithoutmuchofafuture.Howeveronepersonwantstochangethis.StephenFrancisobservedtheneighteen-year-oldShellyAnnatatrackmeetandwasconvincedthathehadseenthebeginningoftruegreatness.Hertimewerenotexactlyimpressivebutevensoheseemedtherewassomethingtryingtogetoutsomethingtheothercoacheshadoverlookedwhentheyhadassessedherandfoundherlacking.HedecidedtoofferShellyAnnaplaceinhisverystricttrainingseasons.TheircooperationquicklyproducedresultsandafewyearlateratJamaica’sOlympicgamesinearly2008ShellyAnnwhoatthattimeonlyrankednumber70intheworldbeatJamaica’sunchallengedqueenofthesprint(短跑).

　　“Wheredidshecomefrom?”askedanastonishedsprintingworldbeforeconcludingthatshemustbeoneofthoseone-hitwondersthatspringupfromtimetotimeonlytodisappearagainwithoutsigns.ButShellyAnnwastoprovethatshewasanythingbutaone-hitwonder.AttheBeijingOlympicshesweptawayanydoubtsaboutherabilitytoperformconsistentlybybecomingthefirstJamaicanwomanevertowinthe100metersOlympicgold.ShediditagainoneyearonattheWorldChampionshipinBritonbecomingworldchampionwithatimeof10.73---thefourthrecordever.

　　Shelly-Annisalittlewomanwithabigsmile.Shehasamentaltoughnessthatdidnotcomeaboutbychance.Herjourneytobecomingthefastestwomanonearthhasbeenanythingbutsmoothandeffortless.ShegrewupinoneofJamaica’stoughestinner-citycommunitiesknownasWaterhousewhereshelivedinaone-roomapartmentsleepingfourinabedwithhermotherandtwobrothers.WaterhouseoneofthepoorestcommunitiesinJamaicaisareallyviolentandoverpopulatedplace.SeveralofShelly-Ann'sfriendsandfamilywerecaughtupinthekillings;oneofhercousinswasshotdeadonlyafewstreetsawayfromwhereshelived.Sometimesherfamilydidn’thaveenoughtoeat.Sheranattheschoolchampionshipsbarefootedbecauseshecouldn’taffordshoes.HermotherMaximeoneofafamilyoffourteenhadbeenanathleteherselfasayounggirlbutlikesomanyothergirlsinWaterhousehadtosto