KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kishane Thompson, the emerging star of Jamaican sprinting, delivered a stunning performance in the heats of the men’s 100m at the Jamaica Trials on Friday night. With an impressive time of 9.91 seconds, Thompson amazed spectators with his exceptional speed and effortless stride.
However, Thompson’s absence in the semi-finals left many puzzled and eager for an explanation. Stephen Francis, the esteemed coach of the MVP Track Club, shed light on the situation, revealing a carefully crafted plan for Thompson’s limited participation at the national championships.
In an interview with SportsMax, Francis explained that the plan was always for the young sprinter to compete in only one round. “It was always our intention for him to focus on running one-round races this year. Considering his previous struggles with injuries, we believed it would be best for him to showcase his talent in a controlled manner.”
In his heat, Thompson beat Ackeem Blake, 10.00, and Ryiem Forde, 10.01. Rohan Watson, Thompson’s MVP training partner, went on to win the final in 9.91 ahead of Forde, 9.96, and Oblique Seville, 10.00.
Francis highlighted that the 22-year-old sprinter had participated in just four 100m races over the past two years due to injuries, which made his training program unique.
Regarding the performance at the trials, Francis mentioned that if it weren’t for a malfunctioning speaker, which affected runners in lanes six to eight during the heats, his athlete would have achieved an even faster time. “Under optimal conditions, he would have run significantly faster,” Francis asserted. However, he emphasized that the most important factor was Thompson’s health and his promising outlook for an exciting summer ahead.
The JAAA has not confirmed Francis’ statement regarding the malfunctioning speaker.
Thompson will now focus on races in Europe.
