Salmon more at home with Wilson

“COMING BACK home for my preparation made the big difference with my vast improvement this season,” said Olympic Games 400-metre hurdles finalist Shiann Salmon.

Making her first Olympic team, the 25-year-old former Hydel High School athlete had a dream 2024 season.

Salmon finished sixth in the women’s 400-metre hurdles final in Paris, and a few weeks later, she stormed to victory at the Zurich Diamond League in a new lifetime best 52.97 seconds before going to the Diamond League final in Brussels, where she finished third.

Salmon was elated with her performances, which represent the most consistent season she has ever had.

“Coming back to Jamaica to train was a better place to be for my career as I felt at home,” said Salmon.

TRAINING STINT

Salmon had a training stint in the United States, where she was guided by former 400-metre hurdler Tonja Buford Bailey, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games bronze medallist and 1995 Gothenburg World Championships silver medallist.

“I am not taking anything away from coach Bailey as she is an outstanding coach, and the training was good, but I really felt that coming back to Jamaica to train in familiar territory was a better move for me,” said Salmon, who is now under the guidance of Maurice Wilson. Making her first global final and producing a personal best in her pet event, she was elated.

“I was overjoyed knowing that I made my first global finals after failing to do so at two previous World Championships,” she continued.

She rated her Olympic Games semi-final run very highly.

“The best for me was my semi-final performance where I clocked 53.13 seconds for third to reach the finals, and I felt if I had gotten a better lane in the finals, my performance would have been much better,” she shared.

She had high praises for her coaching staff at G.C. Foster College.

“I must give a lot of respect to the coaching staff at G.C. Foster College, led by Mr Wilson, as I think they did an excellent job with my preparation as they do know my true potential, and they were able to help me to surpass my expectations,” she said.

Salmon is confident that she, along with other Jamaicans, will have better performances after disappointments at the Olympics.

“Paris was not friendly to the team as it was just an off year, and we will come back better, starting with the Tokyo World Championships next year as we will continue to fly the Jamaica flag high.”