Five-time Olympic champion sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah splits with coach

KINGSTON: Less than a year before her attempt to defend her sprint titles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, five-time Olympic champion sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah has split with her coach Shanikie Osbourne.

Thompson-Herah's agency, Andi Sports Management, said "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 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," the agency said.

The Jamaican sprint queen won 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics after winning 100m and 200m gold at Rio 2016.

Thompson-Herah made history by becoming the first woman to achieve consecutive Olympic sprint doubles, when she successfully defended her 100m and 200m titles in Tokyo in 2021. She concluded her remarkable Games with a gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay.

In 2021, the 31-year-old became the second-fastest woman of all time in the 100 meters, behind world-record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner.