Former Olympic champion Michael Johnson, who won two gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games, is defending Jamaican sprinting icons Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah are who he says are under-appreciated.
In an interview with Athletics Weekly, the former 200m and 400m world record holder offered an interesting new lens to look at the sport, saying we should focus on head-to-head competition rather than fixating on times.
Johnson said that there’s an opportunity that is being missed because nowadays, track and field is too focused on the times and not focused enough on the track rivalry. He also says that the storytelling behind the scenes of the women’s 100m rivalry between Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah could generate hot ticket now meme for the sport.
“Yeah, I mean I would say that it’s a perfect example of the problem because I don’t think that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce or Elaine Thompson-Herah get enough credit for what they’ve done in the sport because we’re so focused on times,” said Johnson.
“So, you know right now I can see that you know what’s going to happen most likely with Elaine is, there’s going to continue for the remained of her career unless she breaks the World record in the 100m, a focus now on whether she breaks the world record or not and if she doesn’t, you know there’s a danger that people will be disappointed,” he said.
The 29-year-old Thompson-Herah is a five-time Olympic champion and the 100m and 200m title holder from both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
At 35, Fraser-Pryce has three Olympic gold medals – eight medals in total – including the gold-standard 100m crown won at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012. She is also a nine-time world champion and the reigning world gold medallist at 100m.
“I mean, then the fact that you have at the same time these two women from this very small island, who go head-to-head you know at these championships and they, between the two of them, they’ve won the gold medals in the 100m over the last four Olympic Games,” said Johnson.
The current 100m world record has stood since 1988, Florence Griffith-Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, became the only woman ever to break the 10.5-second barrier with a run of 10.49 at the US Olympic trials in 1988. Since then, many have deemed the mark impossible to beat – not least because of controversy regarding possible wind assistance at those trials.
Johnson feels instead of focusing on the world record, we should be focused more on these athletes and their ability to deliver when it counts at championships.
“You know that’s incredible and I think that should be celebrated. And if I think if we were focused more on these athletes and their ability to deliver when it counts at championships and win the head-to-head battle as opposed to well this time and what was the wind and you know is it a national record and how close is it to the world record and all of those things, I think we are robbing ourselves and the sport of its greatness,” he said.
His remarks come after last year Jamaicans and other track and field fans are expressed their grouse online and threatened to boycott the Nike brand unless they show due respect to Olympic champion and the fastest woman in the world Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Thompson-Herah, who started a professional contract with the American sportswear giant in 2016, posted the second-fastest women’s 100-meter time in history at the Eugene Diamond League competition on Saturday. She also successfully defended her 100-meter and 200-meter Olympic titles at the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Games.
A series of tweets by influential media personality Debbie Bissoon, kickstarted the tension between Nike and Jamaican social media users. Bissoon tweeted, “Hey @Nike I know I’m just one person but I’m not buying another Nike anything until you all do right by @FastElaine. Not even a congratulatory post on your IG??? I hope you are currently working on something with her”.
Hey @Nike
— Debbie Bissoon (@DebbieBissoon) August 23, 2021
I know I’m just one person but I’m not buying another Nike anything until you all do right by @FastElaine ….
Not even a congratulatory post on your IG???
I hope you are currently working on something with her.
The tweet quickly got thousands of shares, and retweets on both Twitter and Instagram from people all over the world who said, they were willing to join the Nike boycott. Dancehall singer Ce’cile was among those who replied, when she wrote, “I. Not buying either.. tha disrespect @Nike do better by our queen..#ElaineThompsonHerah”.
This comes after Nike released an ad with Sha’Carri Richardson to promote her comeback at the Eugene Diamond League.
At the same track meet Elaine Thompson Herah in a world-leading time came first, Shelly Ann Fraser-Price came in second and Sherica Jackson placed third, replicating their 1,2,3 Tokyo Olympic victory. Sha’Carri Richardson came in last.
Leading up to the race, the Diamond League organizers were soft promoting Richardson alongside the Jamaican athletes. She was introduced as the 6th fastest woman and was asked to join the Olympic champions onstage at a press conference to much visible tension. She then commented, “this is nothing new, we are just back on the track now” while iterating that she has 2M Instagram followers.
She added, “lining up against these women is going to be an amazing race tomorrow, two of the women seen here are two of the fastest women to ever do the sport so I’m honored to be on the stage with them but I’m not star struck.”
After losing, she gave an erratic post-race interview where she said “I am not done”. And reiterated her 6th place.
Nike only posted a congrats for Elaine Thompson on their “Nike Running” page, which has 5.7M followers, and not their main @Nike page which has 169M followers. The last post on that page three days ago is the ad with Sha’Carri Richardson, who placed 9th at the Diamond League.
More comments came from the Track and Field fans, who are growing impatient of Nike and other American brands and their apparent slighting of the fastest woman alive.
Former American athlete and world record holder Michael Johnson tweeted, “I’m not understanding @nbc not interviewing @FastElaine after running 10.54! I understand interviewing @itskerrii since, let’s be honest, she was a major part of the story. But this is kind of ridiculous! #Prefontaine”
Businessman Wayne Chen responded to Micheal Johnson and wrote, “It is, and a reminder of why we should tell our own stories. An American media house focusing on an over-hyped American athlete is nothing new, and perfectly understandable. It’s all about eyeballs”.
@leiciasmoothy, in agreeing with Debbie Bissoon’s boycott campaign said, “I agree with this…. @Nike we are starting a movement and no matter how long it takes we are gonna see this through. @FastElaine definitely needs a new sponsor… @PUMA we think you should takeover from here for all our athletes, we won’t let u down”
Jamaican Singer Nickeisha Barnes said, “nike you dropped the ball.”
Richardson, who failed to qualify for the Olympics due to positive test for a banned substance, is the leading 100m track and field athlete in America despite her poor performance on the world’s stage. When Richardson was suspended last month, Nike released a statement that said, “We appreciate Sha’Carri’s honesty and accountability and will continue to support her through this time.”
Usain Bolt’s Manager Nugent walker in commenting on whether Nike dropped the ball on Elaine Thompson Herah said, “Her rep and her sponsors I’m sure has great plans for her. Probably timing hasn’t allowed it to be materialized yet”.
The hashtag #boycottnike is being used to connect the conversation online. Nike has not responded to the current backlash or taken steps to highlight Elaine Thompson Herah on their main pages up to time of publishing.
Olympic Champion and music producer Usain Bolt says he thinks the rivalry between Jamaica and the USA in Track And Field is good for the sport.
Speaking with World Music Views, Bolt said American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson brings some new energy and attention to Track, which is not the most popular sport.
Bolt, who himself brought much excitement to the sport between 2004 and 2016, also said, “I am happy to see the Track meets taking place especially with the dominance of the Jamaican women.”
The Olympic Games held last month in Tokyo Japan after a year delay saw the Jamaican trio of Elaine Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce, and Shericka Jackson leading 1,2,3 in a photo finish in the 100m race—similar to what Bolt and his team did in previous Olympic and World Championship Games.
Bolt had no comment on Nike’s lukewarm support of the Jamaican athletes after the shoe company highlighted Sha’carri’s subsequent return at the Eugene Diamond League in Oregon in an ad, one day before she faced the Jamaican women. Richardson placed last in the race, while the Jamaican women recreated their Olympic finish.
In May this year Elaine won the 100m over American runner Sha’Carri Richardson at a Pre Classic meet.
Thompson-Herah, clocked 10.79 seconds at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. The Jamaican ran 10.54 at Pre last year, the second-best time in history, and has dealt with Achilles and shoulder injuries this spring.
The top women sprint stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson have been named for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m on Jamaica’s team for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 on 15-24 July.
The trio currently top the world list in the 100m, reigning champion Fraser-Pryce leading the way with 10.67 ahead of Jackson’s 10.77 and Thompson-Herah’s 10.79. They will all also contest the 200m in Oregon, an event in which Jackson clocked 21.55 at the Jamaican Championships for the third-fastest ever time behind Florence Griffith-Joyner and Thompson-Herah with her 21.53 from Tokyo last year.
In two highly-anticipated events, Thompson-Herah and Jackson seek their first individual world titles, while Fraser-Pryce looks to add to her five world 100m and 200m gold medals. Kemba Nelson joins them in the 100m and the 4x100m squad.
Fraser-Pryce’s fellow 2019 individual world gold medallist Tajay Gayle goes in the long jump, while Thompson-Herah’s fellow individual Olympic champion Hansle Parchment is joined by Rasheed Broadbell and Orlando Bennett in the 110m hurdles.
The 2011 world 100m champion Yohan Blake is selected for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, while Britany Anderson, Megan Tapper and Danielle Williams go in the 100m hurdles.
Following her transfer from Great Britain, Adelle Tracey now represents Jamaica for the first time and has been selected for the 800m and 1500m.
