The 34-year-old Bailey, the first Antiguan to win a 60m indoor global medal, took a break from the sport in 2018 and many believed he had retired.
However, according to Casey, he has been preparing Bailey for his intended return to the sport in 2021 and things have been going well.
“Daniel is not really a person who shies away from working…when it comes to training he is very focused,” Casey said during a recent interview on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show in Antigua.
“This time around we are seeing a whole different person in terms of maturity and focus.”
A decade ago Bailey, who boasts a personal best of 9.91, was among the best sprinters in the world, he was fourth in the final of the Men’s 100m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, where Usain Bolt set the world record of 9.58s.
The following year he won bronze at the World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar and won a silver medal in the 100m at the Continental Cup in Split.
Despite Bailey’s age, Casey believes there is a lot more in the tank.
“He is the first person to run sub-10 in a South American country. Daniel Bailey is the only (Antiguan) athlete to have won a medal at indoors so he has substance,” the former national coach said.
“Maybe it’s me but I think the second time coming is a better Daniel Bailey.”
After a challenging season during which she won a bronze medal in the 100m at the World Championships and gold medals in the 100 and 200m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, the fastest woman alive took some time to put her tired feet up on the island with a population of about 100,000 people.
Word got out that she was on vacation there and a student of the secondary school, Dwayne Fleming, the U17 100m champion at the 2022 Carifta Games, invited her to visit and she took him up on the invitation.
Flemming won the 100m in 10.72 ahead of Gary Card of Jamaica and Keo Davis of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who were second and third, respectively.
Principal of Princess Margaret Dr Colin Greene said it was a “tremendous day” for students and teachers alike at the “track crazy” school. Dr Greene who has been principal at the school for the past 20 years, told Sportsmax.TV that the Tokyo Olympics triple gold medalist spoke with all the members of the track and field team, which he described as the most dominant on the island.
“She imparted words of wisdom and encouragement,” Dr Greene disclosed.
Thompson-Herah also exchanged pleasantries with other students and members of the staff who were excited to see her. Many took selfies with the track star, who also signed autographs for the exuberant hosts.
“Today was a special day for us at PMS. Elaine Thompson-Herah visited our school and had a talk with our athletes. Why wouldn’t a champion like Elaine visit the Home of Champions? We are thankful that she came and it was definitely a pleasure hosting her,” the school posted on its Facebook page.
Princess Margaret School is one of the powerhouses in track and field in Antigua, winning 17 championships in the last two decades. International athletes Miguel Francis, the 2015 Pan Am Games 200m finalist and the 2019 Pan Games 100m bronze medalist CJ Greene, Dr Greene’s son, were once students at Princess Margaret School.
“Princess Margaret School is the home of champions,” Thompson-Herah declared on video at the conclusion of the visit that will live long in the memories of all who were present on that day.
Her time of 11.19 not only broke Heather Samuels Daley’s Antiguan record of 11.20 set in May 1993 it is also the World U-20 leading time for 2021, bumping the USA’s Tionna Brown’s 11.29 from the top spot. Lloyd said she was astonished when she saw the time given how poorly her outdoor season had started with times of 11.52 and 12.05 in her two previous races.
“I was surprised when I looked at the clock and I saw 11.19 because earlier in the season I did not transition as well as I wanted to from the indoor season,” she said.
“I was working with my coach (Ken Harnden), we were talking and he was telling me to do the little things like eating well, sleeping on time and having a better mindset at practice and ever since I implemented that, in practice, I didn’t feel as fatigued and I felt like I was getting back into the right mindset of being competitive and pushing to the line.
“Though my start wasn’t too good, my transition was good and I fought to the line.”
Lloyd's Tennessee teammate Maia McKoy, a senior, was second in 11.23 while Louisville's Brooke Raglin was third in 11.68.
The Tennessee freshman said it was special that she was able to break the record that was previously held by the woman who was her hero growing up.
“It’s really amazing having the national record now knowing that I made history for Antigua,” she said.
“I knew the old record holder Heather Samuel Daley and I have always held her in high esteem and wanted to be like her when I was growing up. Knowing that I am here, I’ve made it, it’s a relief and I feel like this will propel me through the rest of the season. I will drive off of this and keep getting faster.”
It has been a record-breaking season for Lloyd, who turned 19 on April 12. Lloyd, the 2021 SEC 60m Indoor champion, set a new national indoor record of 7.15 for the 60m and 23.62 for the 200m.
