“Shut People Up”: With Last Place Finish, Elaine Thompson-Herah Stirs Up Debate in Track and Field Community
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the renowned Jamaican sprinter and two time Olympic champion in the 100m and 200m events, faced a significant setback in her Paris Olympic journey recently. At the Xfinity Games on Sunday, the 100m “World’s fastest women” came up last in the race. Thompson-Herah’s lackluster finish, despite her track record of speed and dominance, has stirred debates, speculation, and reactions from fans, analysts, and even fellow athletes.
Most of them have expressed their concern over the sprinter’s wellbeing and game strategy. Others have also speculated whether it is the change of coach from Shanieke Osbourne to Reynaldo Walcott that is to be blamed for the disappointing start. Amidst the different discourses, let’s explore the race details and the ensuing discussions in the track and field world.
Elaine Thompson-Herah might have benefited from a slow start
Recently FloTrack took to X to express his opinion about Elaine Thompson’s decision to return to race at the high-profile Prefontaine Classic ahead of the race. The post was captioned, “Popular opinion – Elaine should have opened up her season at a smaller meet.” FloTrack implied that Elaine Thompson-Herah would have been better served if she had decided to open her 2024 season at a smaller, lower-stakes meet than the Diamond League.
It would have helped Thompson-Herah ease into the races, work out any issues and build momentum and confidence. Additionally, a strong start at the Prefontaine could likely set Elaine up for success and her 3rd consecutive Olympic gold medal. However this seems unlikely after watching her performance at the Xfinity Games where Sha’Carri Richardson placed first.
Popular opinion – Elaine should have opened up her season at a smaller meet.
— Track Spice (@trackspice) May 27, 2024
One commentator at the Xfinity Games, Oral Tracey, said that Thompson-Herah’s “11:30 of way off,” adding, “it is obvious that something is not right with Elaine.” The most probable cause of this is fitness issues as she also had an injury marred 2023 season.
According to sources, at the Prefontaine Classics, Elaine’s start was not good, this cost her the race as the start is where sprinters lose most time. In a statement on Instagram after the race, Thompson-Herah mentioned that her dismal performance does not deter her. She wrote, “Journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step……2024 first step 3x#grateful#perseverance#faith#believe.” She is continuing to maintain a positive outlook and is gearing up for more races that will ultimately propel her to the US national team for the Summer Olympics.
Track and field fans lend support to Jamaican sprinter
Many fans have commended Elaine’s bravery to go up against athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson immediately. One commentator recognizes the importance of Elaine facing elite competition akin to Olympic standards, viewing it as a key measure of her training advancement. They doubt another high-caliber opportunity will arise before the Olympics and praise Richardson for silencing critics with her performance. He expressed that participating in the Diamond League might also be a strategy on Elaine’s part to get a good feel of the competition and the ability of her competitors and wrote,
Good way to gage her training as she was competing against people she would see in the Olympics. I don’t think she’ll get that type of opportunity again prior to Olympics. Glad Sha’Carri shut people up though.
— Competiton Ready (@CompetitonReady) May 27, 2024
Another fan opposed FloTrack’s view that Thompson-Herah would have benefitted from opening at a smaller race by saying. He emphasizes the importance of elite-level competition for a professional athlete like her and likened her situation to NFL players who start their season at the highest level. He expressed his confidence in the sprinter’s ability to do well at the Diamond League by saying,
Wrong. She's a pro! She should open up at a pro meet just like she did and keep improving! NFL players don't get to open up at high school games then go play in the Super Bowl
— The Erin Brown (@TheErinBrown) May 27, 2024
However, another fan agreed with FloTrack’s opinion and said Thompson-Herah requires momentum to give a peak performance. The fan expresses concern about Elaine Thompson-Herah’s season opener timing. He cited the risk of potential injury or performance limitations if her body isn’t fully prepared to meet the competitive standards required for national team selection by saying,
My opinion: Elaine should’ve opened up her season earlier since she’s the type of athlete who builds towards her peak. Opening a month before trials is dangerous bcz her body may not be ready to go the 10.7 low or faster required to make the national team
— Albert Maraj (@KingAlbii22) May 27, 2024
Other fans brought up the fact that she was returning after nearly 2 years of recovery from a shin splint injury. They stressed that writing cannot expedite the healing process and stated,
People keep saying this but it’s clear she had a set back earlier in the year…she can only open when her body is ready
— Comrade Dyatlov (@ComradeJamal) May 27, 2024
One user argued about Elaine Thompson-Herah’s exceptional speed as an athlete, often referred to as “FastElaine”. This makes her capable of performing well regardless of the meet’s size or competition level. Expressing their surety that Thompson-Herah can conquer anything if she is healthy and in tune with her body, they exclaimed,
Why? Would she have run faster at a smaller meet? I don't think so. This is FastElaine that we're talking about. She can open wherever she wants. And if she stays healthy, she'll be fine.
— cookiet9292 (@cookiet9292) May 27, 2024
During an interview with CITIUS MAG, Thompson-Herah has made her goal for 2024 clear stating that she is most focused on her health and staying fit. She prioritizes health and fitness and shows she’s aiming for peak performance while avoiding injury risks, emphasizing a balanced career approach.
The post “Shut People Up”: With Last Place Finish, Elaine Thompson-Herah Stirs Up Debate in Track and Field Community appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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