Renaldo Walcott

"Training is going good so far; the work is never easy, it’s always hard. It’s an Olympic year so you have to put in that work," said Thompson-Herah, whose 10.61 in Tokyo is the Olympic record.

Under the guidance of Elite Performance Head Coach Renaldo Walcott, who also mentors the legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah acknowledged the adjustments required with a new coaching setup but expressed satisfaction with the progress.

Reflecting on her pursuit of greatness, Thompson-Herah emphasized the importance of continuous improvement. "It’s more about tweaks and adjustments because if you want to be great, you have to make tweaks and adjustments," she explained. "Along my career to be better each time, I go to improve and to work towards my dreams and my goals."

Thompson-Herah recognizes the formidable competition she faces, including her compatriots Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, as well as American standout Sha’Carri Richardson. Despite the challenges ahead, she remains grounded yet resolute in her aspirations.

"I’m definitely confident, not super or over, but confident," Thompson-Herah affirmed. "I just want to stay focused and humble, have the right mindset and stay positive, no matter what obstacles or struggles come my way."

Having battled through injury setbacks, Thompson-Herah approaches this Olympic year with a mindful approach to her physical well-being. "It’s been super-difficult to know what you’re capable of and you’re not able to do that," she admitted. "For me, it’s all about staying patient and humble."

Acknowledging the evolution of her athletic journey, Thompson-Herah emphasized the importance of body maintenance and self-care. "It’s almost like you have a car; you have to service the car," she explained. "If I don’t service my body, I cannot produce to get those world record and times that I want."

As Thompson-Herah continues her preparations with a keen eye on the Paris Olympics, her dedication and resilience serve as testament to her unwavering pursuit of athletic excellence and historic achievements on the track.

On Saturday, after she ran a world-leading time of 10.86 at the Velocity Fest meet at the National Stadium, Fraser-Pryce deflected when asked who was her coach.

“Who is my coach?” she asked, before breaking out into laughter. “You’re putting me on the spot? That’s for another time but as I said, I am grateful for how the season has gone so far and I am looking forward to what the season will bring, God’s willing, in 2021.”

The 33-year-old two-time Olympic 100m champion has been training under the guidance of Renaldo Walcott for several months now but there has been no official word that she has parted ways with Stephen Francis and the MVP Track Club. While with MVP, she built a legacy as one of the greatest female sprinters in history having won Olympic 100m titles in 2008 and 2012 and 100m World titles in 2009, 2013, 2015, and 2019. She also won a 200m title in Moscow in 2013.

However, she briefly left the club after the 2016 Rio Olympics and trained with Walcott in Santa Cruz in St. Elizabeth before returning to MVP in 2017.

In May, Sportsmax.TV reported that the athlete was once again training with Walcott, this time at the National Stadium in Kingston while the MVP athletes trained at the nearby Stadium East facility.

Asked recently whether the sprint queen was still with the club, Francis said: “I can’t answer that question. I know that she is not at training here but I can’t answer that question.”