LSU Head Track Coach Dennis Shaver has bold aspirations for Brianna Lyston, aiming to mold her into a sprinting powerhouse akin to Jamaican legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah. However, he emphasizes the importance of patience as Lyston continues her journey towards greatness.

 "My goal over her career here at LSU is to make her an elite 100m sprinter because I think that as a professional track and field athlete, your ability to earn money is better in the hundred than it is being a 200m," he explained.

“But it's still in the early stages. We need to get to where she's just a beast all the time because that's like Shelly Ann, that's like Elaine Thompson. Those people that are just durable and you can always count on them.”

Following Lyston's impressive performance at the Battle of the Bayou, where she clocked a blistering 10.87s (wind 2.6m/s), the fastest time ever recorded for an opener by a collegiate woman under any conditions, Coach Shaver remains optimistic about her development. Despite her recent accolades, the experienced coach  stresses the importance of steady progress and physical development, underscoring Lyston's growth in strength since joining LSU.

"In the shorter sprint races, we had her pretty well prepared. She's been accelerating quite well, and her top-end speed, obviously, has always been pretty good. But I think the biggest change for her, in her development at this point, is she's just physically a little stronger than what she was when she came in August," Coach Shaver told Sportsmax.TV in an exclusive interview.

"And I think it's made a big difference this year, her second year here. I was very patient with her last year because I know how talented she is and how important it is that we take good care of her and have her prepared for summertime, too."

In discussing Lyston's aspirations for the upcoming summer, Coach Shaver revealed her goal of securing a spot on Jamaica's Olympic team for Paris. This summer is especially important, and one of Lyston’s goals is to make Jamaica’s team for the Olympic Games in Paris, he shared.

To get on the team, she will have to run faster than she has ever done before. At the Jamaican trials, she will likely face three of the fastest women of all time in Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shericka Jackson, the latter two over 200m as well.

Coach Shaver believes in Lyston's competitive spirit, sharing that she can run lifetime bests later this summer. "I think realistically, I'm more about consistency than what the PR time is. But I think if anybody, as a collegian, can consistently line up and run 10.90 on a fairly regular basis, then when you get towards championship time, or in her case, maybe the Jamaican trials, or maybe if she makes the team with Jamaica to represent in Paris, which is obviously probably one of her goals, is to be able to do that.

“And I think if we can just get the 10.90s on consistent basis, I think we can have her ready to run faster than that when we get to late into the summer.”

Highlighting the importance of patience in Lyston's journey, Coach Shaver emphasized injury prevention and physical development. "That's kind of been our outlook with everybody that's talented like her here at LSU. You know, we've always tried to show patience and give them a chance to mature," he remarked.

"I still think she has room for growth. And I think that's where the patience and the education part of how the training helps you overcome that also, when we're talking about, you know, strength training and so forth.

“She's a little fragile and so we've tried not to do too much with her, and especially last year. And I think now she's physically a little stronger, and I think she's gained confidence about the ability to be able to consistently run fast in more than one race. But, she's got a ways to go yet and I think this is an important season for her.

“This weekend we're competing and she's only going to run a four by one. But when we go to Tom Jones Florida the following week, if the weather's good, which it usually is, I think that'll be her 200m opener. I'm anxious to see what she runs in the 200m in a couple of weeks.”

Manchester High School recently launched the second staging of the Manchester Capital Run, with strong support from the business community and other organizations in the parish.

Mayor Councillor Donovan Mitchell led the charge from a long list of sponsors when he announced that his organization will contribute $500,000 towards the school's 5K Run/Walk, which is scheduled for this Sunday December 10 at 6:30 am.

Member of parliament Rhoda Moy Crawford, and track and field coach Jerry Holness, former head of the school's sports department, have also thrown their support behind the event.

The Honourable Custos Rotulorum Lt. Col. Garfield Sean Green and Mrs. Natalee Nugent-Welcome of the Ministry of Education both endorsed the event and promised to be at the start line along with some their contemporaries to go the full distance, as well as to welcome the finishers they lead home.

Manchester High school chairman, Vincent Marshall also promised to run for the cause.

Principal Jasford Gabriel expressed confidence that they could achieve the $10 million target for this edition which follows the inaugural staging in 2017. The funds will help to defray the high cost of maintaining the various sports programmes at the school.

According to Gabriel, Manchester High competes in Track and Field, Football, Cricket, Netball, Badminton, Table Tennis and several other sports, which are all costly to maintain in terms of transportation, nutrition, medical, field/court costs, coaches and other support staff fees. Importantly, he said that sports help the students in many ways including time management, behaviour and their focus at school.

Race director and coach at Manchester High Kadia Flemmings said the competitors will share in a number of prizes including cash and trophies for overall winners, male and female in walk and run, age categories, high school team categories along with corporate groups.

The fees are adults - $1,800, students - $700, and $1,500 per person in groups.

Flemmings pointed out that it was only fitting that the school hosts its own 5K run/walk, as it has a rich history of performance in the middle and long distances. He mentioned Linton McKenzie, Delroy Hayden, Norval Jones, George Turbo Powell, Winston Skinnyman Taylor, Hilda Baker, the Turners sisters, and in more recent times Olympian Natoya Goule-Toppin, who specializes in the 800 metres.

Manchester High boasts a several Olympians, most of whom endorsed the event. The Olympians, who attended the school include Elaine Thompson-Herah, Sherone Simpson, Nesta Carter, Chanice Porter, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Omar Mcleod and Lorraine Fenton-Graham.

This event will start at Ward Avenue and end at Manchester High School gate. The route reads: Ward Avenue to Andrews Memorial Church, left onto West Road out to Greenvale Rd, make a left and travel straight to Manchester High School.

Elaine Thompson-Herah will not be training with athletes of the Elite Performance Track Club in Kingston but will instead train separately under the guidance of the club’s Coach Reynaldo Walcott.

Informed sources have indicated that the athlete will have separate training schedules with Walcott ‘going to’ Thompson-Herah in a private setting after he completes his duties with Elite Performance at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College each day. Walcott reportedly shared the news with the athletes in group on Thursday morning.

Prior to the recent developments, Thompson-Herah, who owns her own gym equipment, trained at the National Stadium at Kingston’s Independence Park.

Andi Sports Management, the agent representing Thompson-Herah, who won a historic 100/200m double at both the Rio 2016 and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, announced on Monday that the 31-year-old athlete will now take instruction from Walcott.

“Out of difficulties grow miracles. Happy Monday,” the sprinter posted on Instagram as if in celebration over the development.

The move represents a quick-turnaround from her much-publicized separation from Coach Shanikie Osbourne after both parties could not agree on terms of compensation for a long-term arrangement.

Osbourne had assumed coaching duties for the five-time Olympic gold medallist after the Jamaica National Athletics Championships in July and shepherded the injury-plagued sprinter to her best times of the now-concluded 2023 track season.

After Thompson-Herah finished fifth in the 100m final at the championships in a relatively pedestrian 11.06, Osbourne had got her running fast again clocking times of 11.00, 10.92, 10.84 and 10.79 in consecutive races to end her season on a high.

Following her split from Osbourne, Thompson-Herah’s husband, Derron, revealed in an interview on Sportsmax late last week that a new coaching appointment was not far off. The surprising announcement came on Monday morning.

The news of the choice of coach was a surprise given Thompson-Herah’s contentious relationship with five-time World 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has been coached by Walcott since early 2020. The relationship between the former good friends became increasingly strained while both were members of the MVP Track Club and was what eventually triggered Fraser-Pryce’s departure from the club to join what eventually became Elite Performance.

 Shanikie Osbourne, the coach at the centre of the dispute with Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah's management, strongly refuted statements made by the management regarding her compensation for preparing Thompson Herah for the Olympics in Paris. In a detailed account, Osbourne denied asking for unreasonable levels of compensation and emphasized that she was open to negotiation.

Osbourne was hired in July following Thompson-Herah’s poor performance at the Jamaica national championships where she finished fifth in the 100m finals in 11.06s. The coach’s impact was almost immediate with the five-time Olympic gold medalist producing five consecutive season-bests – 11.00, 10.92, 10.84 and 10.79 for a third-place finish in the season-ending Diamond League final in Eugene, Oregon.

Things seemed to be going well up late September or early October when negotiations began for a new longer-term arrangement between Thompson-Herah and the coach, who helped her resurrect her 2023 season.

However, on Wednesday, Thompson-Herah’s agents Andi Sports Management released a statement informing about the end of the relationship between the athlete and Coach Osbourne.

“The professional separation came about due to a breakdown in negotiations on a compensation package for the services that would be provided by Coach Osbourne,” the agent asserted in the statement. “The package proposed by the former coach, by any measure of what is the norm for such services, was extremely excessive and without any flexibility to negotiate by the other party. Collectively, we had no choice but to seek the services of another coach.”

“What Marvin (Andi Sports Management) put out saying we gave them no room to negotiate is a big lie!” said Osbourne, who spoke with Sportsmax.TV.

Osbourne revealed that the problem started when Thompson-Herah’s husband sent her what she described as a ‘garbage contract’, which she rejected. Elaine then reached out to her in a series of messages and voice notes after which they agreed to sit down for a meeting.

"At the end of her message for a meeting, I said to her, I've read her messages and asked her what time would be available for the meeting, and so I'll meet with her." During the meeting, Osbourne brought up the 15 per cent, and Thompson-Herah did not express an inability to afford it.

“I approached her with the same 15 per cent. She did not say she cannot afford the 15 per cent. She said to me, ‘Okay, since I have all my equipment, I have a gym, I have my equipment and everything, do I still have to say for the 15 percent?’”

“I remember her standing up and she said to me, ‘Okay, you said 15 per cent and that's it.’ And I said yes, that's it and she said ‘okay’ and the meeting finished.

Osbourne said she came away from the meeting with the understanding that Thompson-Herah was agreeing with what she was asking. However, just over a week later, the athlete’s husband Derron Herah contacted her.

“I thought everything was okay, Deron messaged me saying we need to sort this out,’ which she said left her perplexed. “I asked him what we needed to sort out and he said we need to sort out payment.

“He asked for a meeting and we met and he came with the same sort of foolishness and I maintained my 15 per cent. I am not charging more than that.”

 During the meeting, Deron Herah repeatedly asked her to provide a figure. "All he's saying to me right is give me a figure. Give me a figure that I’m comfortable with. He can’t make those kinds of contracts with a percentage on it because that will cause them to breach their contract with PUMA.”

She expressed frustration, stating that she didn't need to know the details of Elaine’s contract, only that a fair and honest calculation of her percentage be made.

“I am just asking for a percentage. I explained to them, I do not need to know Elaine’s contract, that is not my concern. What I want is when pay time comes and I go in my account I must see that I get paid. I am not going to sit down and calculate anything.

“All I said to him and I said it to Elaine too, is just be fair, calculate the percentage and pay me, that’s all.”

During the national championships in July, it was an acquaintance of the Herahs, Damia Russell, who approached Osbourne about coaching Elaine as he was disappointed with her performance at the national championships. Given the impasse, he attempted to mediate.

Russell, is an assistant track and field coach at the University of New Mexico Highlands and was once a compliance officer at MVP Track Club during 2017-2018 season and for seven years’ prior, was the manager of the University of Technology Men and Women Track and Field teams.

“He normally guides Elaine, he went and spoke to the husband and then he took me to him,” Osbourne said explaining that she decided to leave the negotiations to him to see if they could arrive be a mutually acceptable agreement.

Russell, Osbourne disclosed, said he would assist and even suggested that since the Herahs were fearful of breaching the terms of Elaine’s contract, they could simply have Osbourne sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Russell declined to comment without first speaking to Osbourne when Sportsmax.TV reached out to him on Thursday.

According to Osbourne, Russell spoke with Deron and listened to his concerns and then decided to send Elaine’s husband a figure. “He said to me, what he is going to do is do a calculation of what he believes he would negotiate for Elaine. He did that and sent the figure to him and Deron started to curse and said they were trying to extort him.”

She said she didn’t expect Herah’s reaction. “You ask for a figure and you get a figure, you negotiate, you don’t cuss and quarrel and talk about extortion. So you come and we say ‘X’ and you can’t pay ‘X’ then you pay ‘X’-1, that’s how it should go.”

The coach then discussed her decision to withdraw her services temporarily, stating, "I sent a message to Elaine and said,’ Listen, I have to withdraw my service until this is sorted out."

As it turns out, the athlete and her management decided to end the relationship.

 Elaine Thompson-Herah, the illustrious five-time Olympic champion and the reigning fastest woman alive, believes that her late-season resurgence in 2023 has set the stage for her to reclaim her best form in the upcoming year. Overcoming injuries that had her contemplating an early end to her season, Thompson-Herah concluded her 2023 campaign on a high note at the Eugene Diamond League meeting on Saturday.

At the Eugene Diamond League event, Thompson-Herah, known for her blistering 10.54-second victory in the 100m dash at that same venue two seasons ago, clocked a time of 10.79 seconds, securing a respectable third-place finish.

She faced stiff competition from Diamond League champion Shericka Jackson, who delivered a scorching 10.70 seconds, her second-fastest time ever, and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who equaled her lifetime best with a swift 10.75 seconds for second place. Thompson-Herah's performance also surpassed that of world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, who settled for fourth place with a time of 10.80 seconds.

Thompson-Herah's journey through the 2023 season was far from smooth, as persistent injuries disrupted her training regimen to the point where she contemplated ending her season prematurely. Her 100m campaign began in late June, recording a time of 11.24 seconds at Jamaica College. In July, her struggles continued as she failed to secure an individual spot on Jamaica's team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, finishing fifth in the 100m finals with a time of 11.06 seconds at the Jamaican national championships.

However, a significant turning point occurred in Budapest when Thompson-Herah decided to change coaches, temporarily enlisting the expertise of Shannike Osbourne. This adjustment proved to be a catalyst for her rapid improvement. She delivered a remarkable 9.90 relay split, propelling Jamaica into the 4x100m relay final, where they ultimately clinched the silver medal.

Following the conclusion of the championships, the five-time Olympic gold medalist continued her resurgence, running 11.00 seconds for a third-place finish at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich. She further improved her form, clocking 10.92 seconds for victory in Bellinzona and 10.84 seconds for another triumph in Brussels. Her season reached a crescendo with her 10.79-second performance in Eugene, marking her fastest run since May 2022 when she achieved the same time at the Eugene Diamond League.

Reflecting on her challenging season, Thompson-Herah expressed gratitude for her late-season resurgence, saying, "God is awesome. You know, a couple of months ago, I really thought I'd close up the season due to injuries, and I think I have overcome that. I came out on the track to be tough, I am a tough cookie. I got four times, 11 seconds, 10.92, 10.84, and 10.79 today to close off. I think that is amazing. I am grateful to get those times to put me in a position for next year, so I am really happy for that."

Based on her current trajectory, Thompson-Herah seems set to re-take her place at the top of women’s sprinting and cement her legacy as the fastest woman alive.

Elaine Thompson-Herah ran a massive season-best of 10.84s to win the 100m dash at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on Friday.

Struggling for form primarily because of injury throughout most of the season, the double-double Olympic champion ran her best race this season with a commanding performance that would have inspired confidence that she is finally getting back to her best.

In her devastating wake was compatriot Natasha Morrison, who ran a season’s best 10.95 for second place. Great Britain’s Dina Asher Smith was third in 10.97.

Sashalee Forbes was fifth in 11.17.

This was Thompson-Herah’s third season best time in as many races after running 10.92 in Switzerland on September 4, which followed an 11.00 clocking on August 31.

Jamaica secured their spot in the women’s 4x100m relays finals, after registering a comfortable victory in the heats, while Trinidad and Tobago missed out, at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Friday.

Running from lane two, the Jamaican quartet of Briana Williams, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shashalee Forbes and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 41.70s ahead of Great Britain 42.33 and Switzerland (42.64s).

Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet of Akilah Lewis, Michelle-Lee Ahye, Reyare Thomas, who ran a blistering 9.66s on the third leg, and Leah Bertrand, placed fifth from lane eight in 42.85s.

Unfortunately, that was not good enough to progress as one of the non-automatic qualifiers on time. Those spots were taken by Netherlands (42.53s) and Poland (42.65s), who were fourth and fifth respectively in heat two.

That heat was expectedly won by United States, who progressed as the fastest qualifiers in 41.59s, ahead of Cote D’Ivoire, who achieved a new Area Record 41.90s and Italy, who finished in a National Record 42.14s.

The final will be contested tomorrow at 2:50pm Jamaica time.

Catch live action of the 2023 World Athletics Championships by downloading the Sportsmax app.

Dina Asher-Smith believes she is racing in the “golden age” of women’s sprinting.

The 27-year-old is ready to start her World Championships campaign in Budapest.

Asher-Smith, who finished fourth in the 100m at the Worlds last year despite equalling her British record of 10.83 seconds, and Daryll Neita race in the 100m heats on Sunday.

They are aiming to challenge Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson, who completed a clean sweep of the medals in Eugene 13 months ago. Asher-Smith took 200m bronze behind Jackson and Fraser-Pryce.

“I definitely do think we’re in like a golden age,” said Asher-Smith. “It will be remembered as kind of like a (Usain) Bolt era but on the side of the women’s, and far more competitive. There are a lot of women in that arena.

“You say Shelley-Ann and Elaine would be like, ‘ah?’ Then even this year, Shericka will be like, ‘er?’ There are just so many.

“I feel like when there’s so many people running fast, there’s no point thinking about other people. You’ve just got to focus on yourself.

“If you start focusing on one or two, you’ll forget about the other seven, who are also incredibly quick. There’s lots of very, very talented and very experienced women racing.

“I think we have one of the strongest and what will hopefully be the most exciting events of this World Championships.

“There’s a lot of depth. All you can do is focus on yourself, right? That’s all I can do. I can only control myself. So that’s kind of what I am doing.”

Neita, who along with Asher-Smith is also running in the 200m and 4x100m relay, goes into the Championships ranked seventh in the world in both individual events.

She said: “I’m feeling very confident. It’s going to be the first time I’m doing two events and then onto the relay as well. So it’s very different this year, because I’m normally going for the 100 metres, which is we know is stacked.

“Failing to make the final at worlds last year was very bittersweet, running the fastest ever semi-final not to make it.

“The 200m is still a pretty new event for me but I’m feeling very confident and I’m just going there this year, very relaxed, not putting too much pressure on myself, but just really want to have fun and execute and just achieve as well as I can.”

The sixth time is the charm for Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who on Monday was named 2022 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year in Paris.

The 36-year-old track star, considered the greatest female 100m sprinter of all time, was rewarded for an incredible season during which she won an unprecedented fifth 100m world title in Eugene, Oregon and created even more history by becoming the first woman to run under 10.7 seconds for the 100m, a record seven times in the same season. 

After opening her season in Nairobi, Kenya, the two-time Olympic gold medallist ran times of 10.67, 10.67, 10.66, 10.67, 10.62 and 10.65 to cap an amazing season.

She also won a fifth Diamond League 100m title during the season.

“I was thrilled to be nominated alongside such inspiring female athletes,” said Fraser-Pryce, who got the nod ahead of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, footballer Alexia Putellas, tennis star Iga Świątek, swimmer Katie Ledecky and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin for the prestigious award.

“To win this award, voted for by some of the greatest sportsmen and women of all time, is just amazing. This is the sixth time I’ve been nominated in this category, so to finally hold the Laureus statuette in my hands is one of the greatest honours of my career.”

 Fraser-Pryce is the third Jamaican athlete to win the award. Elaine Thompson-Herah won in 2022 for her exploits in 2021, while Usain Bolt won in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017.

Elaine Thompson-Herah made her indoor debut in Norway at the 2023 Karsten Warholm Invitational on Thursday, winning the Women’s 60m dash in a relatively pedestrian 7.30.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games 100 and 200m champion had made her season debut at the Queen’s/Grace Jackson Invitational last weekend, running 7.15 for an outdoor 60m run.

In Norway, Thompson-Herah took some time to get going but hit her stride about 20m from the tape and eased to victory over Helene Renningen, who crossed the line in 7.40.

Ukraine’s Viktoriya Ratnikova was third in 7.53.

Warholm impressed his home fans with an fast 45.31 run to win the 400m just 0.3 off his personal best time. His compatriot Håvard Bentdal Ingvaldsen was more than 1.5 seconds behind in 46.94 just edging out fellow Norwegian Andreas Grimerud, who clocked 46.99 for third.

Elaine Thompson-Herah began her 2023 campaign with a victory over 60m at the Queen's/Grace Jackson Invitational at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

The fastest woman alive and the fastest man in history strutted on the catwalk recently during New York Fashion Week.

Five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce believes if she can have a race on Friday where everything comes together, getting below 10.6 is possible.

Despite winning a record-extending fifth 100m world title, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is hungry for more. The 35-year-old Fraser-Pryce won the World Athletics Championships 100m title in a new championship record of 10.67, breaking the previous record set by the USA’s Marion Jones in 1999.

While wearing a stylish wig mirroring her country's national colours, Fraser-Pryce led a Jamaican sweep as Shericka Jackson claimed the silver medal in a personal best of 10.73, which sees her surpass compatriot Merlene Ottey as the third-fastest Jamaican woman. Only Fraser-Pryce (10.60) and Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54) have run faster.

Thompson-Herah, the Tokyo Olympics 100m champion, was third this time around in a relatively pedestrian 10.81 as the Jamaican women swept the medal places in consecutive global championships.

However, the moment belonged to the 35-year-old Pocket Rocket, who had won the previous 100m titles in 2009, 2013, 2015 and an unprecedented fourth in 2019. She was fourth in Daegu in 2011 because of injury and missed out in 2017 because she was pregnant with her son Zyon.

“I can't even imagine the amount of times I've had setbacks and I've bounced back and I'm here again," said Fraser-Pryce, who became the first athlete to win five titles in the same running event since the World Championships began in 1983.

Only pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, hammer thrower Pawel Fajdek and discus great Lars Riedel have also won the same single disciple five or more times.

 "I continue to remind myself that sometimes it's not because you don't have the ability, but it's the right time. Today was the right time," she continued.

"I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do it at 35, (after) having a baby, still going, and hopefully inspiring women that they can make their own journey," added Fraser-Pryce.

"Whenever I'm healthy I'm going to compete. I'm hungry, I'm driven and I always believe I can run faster and I'm not going to stop until I stop believing that."

Fraser-Pryce has now been involved in three 100m medal sweeps for Jamaica. She was the winner in a Jamaican 1-2-2 finish with Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was second to Thompson-Herah in a Jamaican 1-2-3 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Shericka Jackson won the bronze.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce laid claim to being the greatest female 100m sprinter of all time when she won her fifth 100m world title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.