Two-time double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah says training is going well ahead of her bid to defend her titles in Paris later this year.
The 31-year-old has switched camps this season and is now training under Reynaldo Walcott, who also coaches 3-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
“It has been great. My schedule has changed with a different system and different coach so I’m just trying to get accustomed to that and I think I’m in a good place right now and I’m happy about that,” Thompson-Herah said in an interview with Citius Mag.
The early part of Thompson-Herah’s 2023 season was hampered with injury.
In an interview with SportsMax.tv after her 100m season opener at the JAAA All Comers Meet at Jamaica College on June 24 last year, Thompson-Herah explained how her training had been hampered so much because of constant pain, going as far as to say her persistent injuries almost caused her to quit the sport entirely.
“Honestly, I’m feeling good despite the fact that I’ve been out so long. It has been a challenging one but, I still hang on. I almost gave up but I have faith and I came out here to just test my body to see where I’m at. My training has not been how I wanted it to but, the fact that I missed so much and came out here and ran 11.23 today, I’m just grateful,” she said after the race.
“People see us on the track all the time but they don’t know what comes behind that. I cried most mornings when I was driving home in my car because I see that I’m working hard and I’m not getting the results I want. I was on the verge of giving up, honestly, but God spoke to me and said ‘you cannot give up right now because I took you this far,” she added.
Nine months later, Thompson-Herah says she feels good heading into the season and is focused on remaining healthy before anything else.
“I feel good. It’s like if you have a car and have to service the car. My duty is to make sure that my body is fine-tuned and always ready for the goal. The key focus is to always stay healthy. The time doesn’t matter right now. What matters is getting through each race fit and healthy. Once I have that, the time will come after. The aim is always to break a world record and defend my title,” she said.
“For me the mindset is I have to be strong and have to be positive. Push out those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. It’s all about getting my workout done each day. Once that is done, I pray to Christ and I’m happy. The key that I walk with every day is believing in myself,” she added.
Having won the sprint double at the last two Olympics in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, Thompson-Herah was asked if she feels any pressure to complete the three-peat in Paris this year.
“Only time I ever feel pressure is if I have an injury. The pressure is trying to wonder how can I fix this injury fast to make to the Olympics and to make it to the Olympics, we have to go to national trials and once I have that ready I think I’m good. For now, just stay focused and healthy,” she said.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Alfred, Richardson to renew rivalry from Paris at Zurich Diamond League on Sept 5
St Lucia’s 100m Olympic champion Julien Alfred and American silver medallists Sha’Carri Richards are set to renew their rivalry at next week’s Zurich Diamond League, which will mark their first meeting since the Paris Olympic Games.
The September 5 meet to be held at the Weltklasse will be an opportunity for Alfred to solidify her class and status against some of the best in the world, while for Richardson, it will be a shot at redemption where possibly lowering the St Lucian’s colours is concerned.
That cool and wet August 3 night at the Stade de France will be fresh in the minds of both athletes, as Alfred became her country's first Olympic champion when she exploded from the blocks and maintained her speed and composure to hold off a charging Richardson, who had to overcome a slow reaction out of the blocks to make up ground.
Alfred, 23, later added more accolades and history to her name with a silver medal win in the 200m, becoming her island’s Saint Lucia's first-ever double Olympic medallist.
For Richardson, 24, making up ground after a slow start—which is somewhat of a bad habit, as she stumbled at US Olympic Trials and came back to win—underscored her blistering turn of foot.
Though her quality was always on display, many didn’t view her as a title contender until she swept past both Jamaican stalwarts Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson to win last year's World Championships title.
In this rematch between Alfred and Richardson, Great Britain’s European champion Dina Asher-Smith will also be added to the mix to get her shot at both, as she surprisingly missed out on the Paris Olympic final after she placed fifth in her semi-final.
It is indeed set to be an intriguing showdown between four of the world’s best female sprinters, as Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji, who placed sixth in Paris, will also be aiming to make an impression on home soil.
BVI's Adaejah Hodge, Ja's Shanoya Douglas cop gold, bronze in women's 200m at World U-20 Champs
Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) delivered a stunning performance to cop gold in the women’s 200m final at the World Under-20 Championships, while Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas claimed bronze in Lima, Peru, on Friday.
Hodge, 18, who claimed silver in the same event at the 2022 Championships, upgraded her medal to gold as she topped the field in 22.74s, marking a significant milestone in her budding career.
The Olympian’s victory was the highlight of a successful night for the Caribbean, as 16-year-old Douglas also secured a spot on the podium, finishing third in 23.10s in a thrilling race that once again showcased the region's sprinting prowess. The Caribbean duo was separated by Australia’s Torrie Lewis, who clocked a personal best of 22.88s for second.
From the gun, Hodge, who was determined to improve on her previous silver medal finish, established herself as a solid contender for the top spot. With powerful strides and impeccable form, she maintained her composure around the curve and later exploded in the straight to leave rivals in her wake.
Hodge’s win and Douglas’ bronze brought the curtains down on what was the most successful for the Caribbean since the start of the five-day Championships, as Kerrica Hill earlier copped Jamaica’s second gold medal when she clocked 12.99s to top the women’s 100m hurdles. She won ahead of Croatia’s Mia Wild (13.15s) and Delta Amidzovski (13.24s) of Australia.
Jamaica now has two gold medals and one bronze, while Hodge claimed her country's first medal.
Carlos Brown Jr (21.51s) of the Bahamas finished eighth in the men's 200m final.
Prior to that, Jamaica’s Richard Hall and Cuba’s Yander Herrera missed out on the podium in the men’s final, as both clocked in at 13.46s for fifth and sixth. The event was won by American Ja’Kobe Tharp in a new World Under-20 leading time of 13.05s.
His compatriot Andre Korbmacher (13.14s) was second, with China’s Yuanjiang Chen third in 13.21s, a national Under-20 record.
Meanwhile, Michelle Smith of US Virgin Islands once again established herself as the gold medal favourite, as she was the fastest through to Saturday’s final. Smith clocked a brisk 56.39s to win semi-final two, while Haiti’s Gloria Guerrier (1:00.20) finished eighth and failed to progress.
Jamaica’s Kelly Ann Carr suffered a similar fate in semi-final three as she placed eighth in 1:00.33.
Only one Caribbean athlete will be present in the men’s final and that is Jamaica’s Daniel Wright, who topped semi-final three in 51.11s, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Cheyne West (53.09s) placed seventh in the same race and missed out.
Another Jamaican Trevoy Smith (54.24s), also finished down the track in a brisk semi-final one, which saw the top two qualifiers crossing the line together in a World Under-20 leading time of 49.36s.
The 400m hurdles finals are scheduled for 4:35pm Jamaica time on Saturday.
Kerrica Hill defends 100m hurdles title at World U20 Championships in Lima
Jamaica's Kerrica Hill cemented her status as one of the brightest young talents in track and field by successfully defending her 100m hurdles title at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, on Friday. Hill, who first claimed the title in Cali, Colombia, two years ago, delivered a dominant performance, winning in 12.99 seconds.
Hill's victory was never in doubt as she took control of the race from the start, leading the field decisively. Her winning time of 12.99 seconds secured her second consecutive World U20 title and further established her as a rising star in the sport.
Mia Wild of Croatia claimed the silver medal, finishing in 13.15 seconds, while Australia's Delta Amidzosvki took the bronze with a time of 13.24 seconds.
Hill's triumph adds to Jamaica's growing medal tally at the World U20 Championships. Earlier in the week, Alana Reid secured gold in the 100m final, leading a Caribbean sweep of the medals. Reid's victory was followed by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, who took silver, and Kishawna Niles of Barbados, who claimed the bronze.
With Hill's win, Jamaica has now captured two gold medals at the championships, continuing the country's tradition of excellence in sprinting and hurdling on the global stage. As the World U20 Championships continue, Jamaica's young athletes are poised to add to their medal count, showcasing the depth of talent in the Caribbean region.
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