Elaine Thompson-Herah holds optimistic outlook after last-place finish in the 100m at Prefontaine Classic 2024

Five-time Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah displayed optimism after her display at the Prefontaine Classic 2024. On May 25, the Jamaican athlete competed in the 100m race in Eugene and finished last in ninth place. However, she had a positive take on her outdoor season-opener performance.

Thompson-Herah established her mettle as a top-notch athlete after winning consecutive gold medals in the 100m and 200m in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. In the upcoming championships, she could make history by becoming the first female athlete to win three Olympic gold medals in the 100m.

Moreover, her 10.54s time record in the 100m race from the 2021 Diamond League is only behind the legendary Florence Griffith Joyener’s 10.49s world record timing in 1988.

However, the Jamaican athlete had a disappointing start to her 2024 outdoor season at the ongoing Diamond League. Elaine Thompson-Herah competed against a strong lineup of athletes including Sha’Carri Richardson, Mary Moraa, and others, and could only finish last after clocking 11.30s.

Right after the race, she penned an encouraging note for herself along with a photo of herself in action on Instagram. She wrote:

"Journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step…… 2024 first step 3x🥇🥇"

On the other hand, the USA's Sha’Carri Richardson clinched first place with a timing of 10.83s. Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred and British athlete Dina Asher-Smith achieved the second and third positions by clocking 10.93s and 10.98s, respectively.

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Elaine Thompson-Herah changed her coach eight months before the Paris Olympics 2024

Elaine Thomspon-Herah at World Athletics Championships Oregon22 - Day Three

Ahead of the beginning of the Paris Olympics 2024, Elaine Thompson-Herah made headlines for changing her temporary coach Shanikie Osbourne. Eight months before the quadrennial Games, she decided to train under legendary Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s coach Reynaldo Walcott.

Thompson-Herah’s sports agency ANDI Sports Management reasoned that the athlete’s decision followed due to Osbourne’s “extremely excessive” pay package. The press release read,

"The package provided by the former coach; by any measures of what is the norm for such services; was extremely excessive and without any flexibility to negotiate with the other party. Collectively, we had no choice but to seek the services of another coach."

Thompson-Herah hired Osbourne after failing to win the 100m and 200m races at the National Senior and Junior Championships in 2023. Under her guidance, the Jamaican athlete clocked multiple sub-11 second times, including times of 10.79 and 10.84.