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Elaine Thompson-Herah Returns to Sprint Competition

2026-06-23 · Elaine Thompson-Herah · Player Focus

Elaine Thompson-Herah Returns to Sprint Competition

Elaine Thompson-Herah returns to sprint competition after a 2-year absence, headlining the Jamaican team at the World Relays in Botswana.

What happened to Elaine Thompson-Herah?

She won back-to-back Olympic 100m and 200m gold medals in 2016 and 2021 but was dogged by injuries, including an Achilles tear that made her miss the 2024 Olympics and the entire 2025 season. The injury occurred at the June 2024 USATF Grand Prix in New York City, a sad end to what started as a promising Paris Olympic cycle.

Why the rebuild is crucial for Elaine Thompson-Herah

After sweeping 100m, 200m and 4x100m golds at the Tokyo Olympics, she ran 10.54 for the 100m at the August 2021 Prefontaine Classic, the second-fastest time in history behind Florence Griffith-Joyner's world record of 10.49 from 1988. Elaine Thompson-Herah reported no pain after competing in domestic meets in February, March, and April, her first races since the Achilles tear.

What comes next for Elaine Thompson-Herah?

She isn't looking too far ahead, focusing on her rebuilding process, and doesn't even know the next World Championships in 2027 are in Beijing, site of her global championship debut in 2015. Elaine Thompson-Herah, 33, is being patient with herself, and once the pain is gone, she believes she is capable of doing anything. The 2026 World Athletics World Relays air live on Peacock from Botswana, marking her first time competing in a global final since the 2022 World Championships. Elaine Thompson-Herah's return to competition is a significant development in women's sprinting, which saw Sha'Carri Richardson become a world champion and Julien Alfred deliver Olympic gold for Saint Lucia during her absence. Her passion for track and field is driving her recovery, and she thinks the love for the sport makes the recovery part easy. Not having pain is also a good feeling, she said, and she is looking forward to competing without any discomfort. The World Relays will be an important test for Elaine Thompson-Herah as she works to regain her form and compete at the highest level.

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