Jamaican sprint legends whose futures hang in the balance

Jamaica witnessed one of their worst Olympics in recent memory when they failed to win a gold medal from sprints with the country’s only title coming from discus.

This was largely because all their experienced runners were missing in Paris either through injury or bad form and the country paid the ultimate prize.

As the 2024 season comes to an end, some of the veterans are left at crossroads as they have some tough decisions to make.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Four-time Olympics champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has remained mum over her future after her shocking withdrawal from her Olympics race in Paris.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has remained silent about her future in athletics after withdrawing from the Paris Olympic Games, leaving her fans uncertain about her next steps.

Fraser-Pryce had announced that this was to be her final Olympics and as fans expected a grand exit, she pulled out of the 100m semi-final for reasons she had not talked about.

The Pocket Rocket has not been in good form over the last one year and there has been speculation that she might not return to the track.

Jamaican media has reported that the 37-year-old 10-time world champion will reveal her next course of action in a yet to be released documentary and it remains to be seen what will come out of it, especially with the 2025 World Championships coming up next.

Yohan Blake

Former 100m world champion Yohan Blake is another one who has endured a tough time on track in recent years.

Former world 100m champion Yohan Blake is set to launch a major investment in Florida, USA as he begins to plan for life beyond track and field.

Blake, a two-time Olympics silver medallist, has been struggling with injuries and poor form for a number of years and 2024 has been among his worst.

The 34-year-old ran just two races this year, finishing eighth in London, before missing out on the ticket to the Olympics after fifth place in the preliminary rounds at the Jamaican Olympics trials.

He would later complain of a lack of respect from Jamaicans who he claimed only care about winners in what looked like a statement of resignation.

Whether he will get the motivation to return is something fans will be waiting to see but he faces formidable opposition from much younger rivals back home in form of Kishane Thompson and Ackeem Blake as well as the rest of the world.

The former world champion has hit out at Jamaican fans for disrespecting him despite bringing glory to the country in the past.

Elaine Thompson-Herah

Elaine Thompson Herah, the first woman to win both 100m and 200m gold at back-to-back Olympics, promised to bounce back strongly when she pulled out of this year’s Paris Games with an Achilles injury but she faces a long road back.

The injury has troubled the five-time Olympics champion over the years and it reared its ugly head again early this year.

It has seen Thompson-Herah significantly reduce her workload with April 2023 being the last time she competed in a 200m race while she was carried off the track when featuring in the 100m at the New York Grand Prix in June, leading to her Olympics pull out.

That came after she had finished last at the Prefontaine Classic, still in 100, her only other race this year.

Following Olympic season disappointment, Elaine Thompson-Herah revealed a big fear she overcame.

Thompson-Herah has a knack for bouncing back from setbacks as has been witnessed before but she faces an uphill task to return to her brilliant best amid new competitors such as Julien Alfred, Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas among others, a major test for the 32-year-old.