KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaican sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah confirmed on Monday that she has departed from the MVP Track Club, which is headed by renowned coach Stephen Francis.
A media statement from “Team Elaine Thompson-Herah” said she had resumed training for the 2022 season, when she will attempt to win her first individual gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The media statement added the double Olympic champion was still in the process of finalising her training arrangements, and she was “considering all options available concerning her team”.
“In light of an abundance of requests from my fans and concerned Jamaicans, I want to assure everyone that I have begun my training independently and will continue to do so while I finalise all aspects of my team for the upcoming season,” the media statement said.
“I want to thank everyone for their support and express appreciation to those who have reached out in concern. I remain committed to representing my country and to lead with courage and grace as I am aware that I inspire young women across the world who have dreams and who dare to see those dreams come to pass.”
The media statement came shortly after Thompson-Herah, arguably the fastest woman alive, was conferred with the national honour of Order of Distinction (Commander Class) by the Jamaica government.
Francis coached Thompson-Herah for all her history-making career in which she won double sprint gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and this year’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
In Tokyo, Thompson-Herah became the first woman to defend the 100 and 200 titles at the same Olympics, and she also won gold in the 4×100 relay.
She set an Olympic record of 10.61 seconds in the final of the 100 and then set a national 200 record of 21.53 secs, the second-fastest time in history, eclipsing Merlene Ottey’s 25-year-old national record of 21.64.
After the Olympics, Thompson-Herah became the first woman to run four legal times under 10.70 in the 100, including a personal best of 10.54, a time bettered only by five hundredths-of-a-second by deceased American track star, Florence Griffith-Joyner.
Thompson-Herah also ended the year on a high note, winning the World Athletics Diamond League 100 title in Zurich.
