BUDAPEST (August 15) – Double Olympic gold medalist, Elaine Thompson-Herah, is now being coached by former MVP Track Club coach, Shanikie Osbourne, as she sets her sights on the 2023 World Athletic Championships in Budapest. It understood that currently the status of Osbourne is just a temporary arrangement, but the pair is expected to have further discussion at the end of the season.
Elaine Thompson-Herah Teams Up with Former MVP Coach Shanikie Osbourne
Thompson-Herah, who captured the remarkable sprint double victories at both the Rio 2016 and the delayed Tokyo 2021 Olympics, was previously coached by her spouse, Derron Herah. This followed her departure from long-time coach and guru, Stephen Francis and the MVP Track Club in 2021.
The seasoned sprinter’s latest collaboration with Osbourne materialized post the Jamaica Outdoor Track and Field Championships in July. Osbourne, familiar with Thompson-Herah, expressed, “It wasn’t a hard decision for me to go a give her some assistance,” in a conversation with local media. “I have been working with her since we have been at MVP, so it’s similar stuff.”
Read more: Jamaica names strong World Athletics Championships 2023 team
Elaborating on the champion’s inherent talent, Osbourne added, “She’s rounding up nicely. She already has some speed so it’s just to pull the speed out. It’s not hard to do that.”
With Thompson-Herah part of the Jamaican women’s 4x100m relay team for the World Athletics Championships, Osbourne is optimistic about the Caribbean icon’s contribution.
She believes Thompson-Herah will play a pivotal role, stating, “She has a lot of time,” in reference to whether she would be ready to run fast at the championships.
“Ever since I have been working with her, it’s enough time. As I said earlier, she has a lot of speed and it’s not hard to pull the speed out because she’s already fast. It’s just to work with her, ensure that she doesn’t get injured.”
Looking back at the previous world championships in Oregon last summer, Thompson-Herah clinched a bronze medal in the women’s 100m, with fellow Jamaicans Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson leading the race in a clean sweep of the podium.
However, a recent fifth-place finish at the Jamaica Outdoor Track and Field Championships saw the 31-year-old miss out on an individual 100m berth and she immediately decided to make a shift in her coaching setup.
Osbourne was sure about about the future.
“It’s according to her, probably she’s trying to see how things work out to the end of the season and then she’ll make a decision, but it’s up to her,” she shared.
Thompson-Herah is said to be in high spirit during the relay camp and is ready to cheer on her teammates when they take the track this weekend.
The World Athletics Championships 2023 will run from 19-27 August.
