Thompson Herah-Osborne relationship short lived

WITH LESS than a year to go before the Olympic Games in Paris, double-double sprint champion, Elaine Thompson Herah’s preparation for defending the 100 and 200 metres titles has suffered a setback after another coaching controversy.

According to reliable sources, Thompson Herah split with her new coach, Shanikie Osborne, two weeks ago because of a disagreement over fees.

Osborne only took on coaching duties three weeks after the National Campionships where Thompson Herah was guided by her husband, Deron Herah.

Thompson Herah finished fifth in the 100 metres at those trials in 11.01 seconds, failing to book an individual spot in the 100 metres and only did relay duties in the first round of the 4x100 metres relay for Jamaica at the World Athletics Championships.

In the short stint with Osborne, who is a former coach at MVP Track Club, Thompson Herah showed progress, closing her season with a season’s best 10.79 seconds and a third-place finish in the women’s 100 metres at the Diamond League finals in Eugene, Oregon.

With her improvement under the guidance of Osborne, many thought this was the ideal situation for Thompson Herah but it was not to be, the partnership ending in less than three months. Attempts to make contact with the parties proved futile.

Thompson Herah, who was guided by coach Stephen Francis for some nine years, split with Francis in the same year she ran a career-best 10.54 seconds in Eugene, Oregon with Deron Herah taking over coaching duties for the start of the new season.

In two years of competition since, Thompson Herah, who has been plagued with injuries throughout her career, has failed to come close to her best.

Her best time since that 10.54 came in 2022 in Eugene, Oregon, and that time was matched in 2023.

Thompson Herah, at the time of Osborne’s appointment, had said Deron Herah would remain her head coach.