By Chris Chavez
October 3, 2024
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has parted ways with coach Reynaldo Walcott and the Elite Performance Track Club after four years of working together, according to a report from Sports Max. The Jamaica Gleaner also reports Elaine Thompson-Herah is also set to depart the training group.
Here’s what you need to know:
– Fraser-Pryce has been working with Walcott since early 2020. Under his guidance, she lowered her 100m personal best to 10.60 for No. 3 on the all-time list.
– Fraser-Pryce made it to the Paris Olympics and managed to reach the 100m semifinal. However, she scratched from the race about an hour before the competitors checked into the call room. Before the evening session, Fraser-Pryce and eventual Olympic silver medalist Sha’Carri Richardson were seen in a social media video talking to officials after being denied entry to the warm-up area. A spokesperson for Team Jamaica later clarified: “"There is no truth that she was not allowed to enter the stadium. Unfortunately, she was not able to compete due to an injury sustained during her final warm-up." Fraser-Pryce shared a statement on Instagram but never specified an injury. Paris was set to be her final Olympic Games.
– Fraser Pryce will be 38 years old for the 2025 track season.
– Thompson-Herah is reportedly in talks to return to Stephen Francis’ MVP Track Club. (Francis also coached Fraser-Pryce to Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012 as well as the World titles in 2009, 2013 and 2015.) Thompson-Herah shocked many when she chose to leave the MVP camp following the 2021 season when she ran 10.54 for 100m at the Prefontaine Classic (No. 2 all-time) and became the first woman to win the Olympic sprint double in back-to-back Olympic Games. Thompson-Herah did not get to defend her title after withdrawing from the Jamaican Olympic Trials due to an Achilles tendon injury. She only raced twice this year and finished last in both her 100m races.
– Thompson-Herah was only coached by Walcott for the 2024 season after parting ways with coach Shanikie Osbourne.
Other Possible Moves
– Sports Max also reports 110m hurdler Rasheed Broadbell is planning to leave the training group after three years and following his Olympic bronze medal in Paris. It was the only individual medal at the Games by the Elite Performance Track Club.
Previous comments by Walcott
CITIUS MAG’s Anderson Emerole spoke with Walcott on a visit to Jamaica in March. He did not specify whether Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah were training together at the same time.
“Each person will train based on their needs, based on the events they are participating in and their current condition,” Walcott said. “So all members of my group, the training times that they get is just relative to the stuff that they have to do and based on their own needs. So that applies to everybody.”
___________________
Keep up with all things track and field by following us across Instagram, X, and YouTube. Catch the latest episodes of the CITIUS MAG Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For more, subscribe to The Lap Count and CITIUS MAG Newsletter for the top running news delivered straight to your inbox.
Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.