After two years of not hitting her peak form since her history-making 2022 season, Tobi Amusan is now reportedly training with Jamaican coach Glen Mills.

Nigeria’s hurdling queen Tobi Amusan has reportedly been spotted training with legendary Jamaican coach Glen Mills with hopes of reviving her career.

 

According to speculations in Jamaica, the sprint hurdler is taking instructions from coach Mills. However, there isn’t an affirmation yet on whether she has permanently moved under his guidance or she’s just in Jamaica for a training camp.

 

Also, as of writing this, there is no release yet from the parties involved to ascertain the true situation, on the alleged coaching switch.

 

If reports are true, it will be a surprise to many as this means Amusan will probably move on from her long-term coach Lacena Golding-Clarke who has been with her since 2016 – her college days at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) to her history-making moment at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, where she won the world title and broke the World Record (twice) with a legal 12.12s in the semifinals and a wind-aided 12.06s in the final.

 

 

Coach Lacena Golding-Clarke tutored Tobi Amusan to win the 2022 world title and set the world record

Unfortunately, since her iconic feats, the 27-year-old has faced several challenges, highlighted by having a missing test doping case battle with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the World Athletics.

 

Despite finally being cleared by the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) as not-guilty, Amusan has struggled to reach her peak form. First, not medalling at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, and the big dagger of not qualifying for the final at the Paris Olympic Games – the first time since 2016 (Rio Olympics) she failed to make a global championship final.

 

 

Tobi Amusan’s reaction after failing to make Olympic final in Paris

The three-time Diamond League champion has been tipped as one of the top athletes to make major comebacks next season, but with the alleged development, only time will tell if it ends up being for the best.

 

From Shericka Jackson to Tobi Amusan: 5 track athletes needing audacious comebacks in 2025 season

From Shericka Jackson to Tobi Amusan: 5 track athletes needing audacious comebacks in 2025 season

Nevertheless, Glen Mills is a world-renowned coach who has discovered and nurtured several iconic sprinters to record-breaking times and world-dominating performances, most notable names – Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake (currently the Top 2 fastest men in history).

 

 

Coach Glen Mills trained Usain Bolt throughout his career as an athlete

So taking instructions or training with him can spur her to more greatness as she is just getting to the peak of her career and still has more to offer in the sport.

 

Hopefully, it doesn’t come at the cost of her body adjusting or modifying to new physical methods after years of streamlined tutelage under coach Lacena Golding-Clarke.

 

Tobi Amusan receives rare prestigious honour from top US college

Tobi Amusan receives rare prestigious honour from top US college

Come what may, with her years of experience in the sport, the Nigerian knows what’s best for her. And if reports are true, Nigerian athletics fans will hope it’ll be a rebirth of their history-making hurdling queen.

 

Sha’Carri Richardson features on the cover of Essence magazine

Sha’Carri Richardson was the talk of the town as she graced the cover of the January-February issue of Essence Magazine. Coco Gauff, Angel Reese, and more athletes congratulated the 100m world champion on what she termed a ‘historic’ appearance for her.

 

Richardson was raised by her grandmother Betty Harp, who used to read Essence magazine. The two-time Olympic medalist acknowledged that she was reminded of her childhood after getting the call for the cover photo shoot.

 

“Gracing the cover is almost historic for me. It’s going to show my journey of transformation. I actually remember my grandmother having magazines, and ESSENCE being one of those magazines. When I shared with her that I would be on the cover, that was something that I was able to relate to the little girl inside of me,” Richardson told Essence in an interview.

The magazine published numerous images of the sprinter posing in a variety of stylish dresses, with one red pleated gown particularly standing out. Its dramatic sculptural silhouette and cinched waist left Coco Gauff and many others in awe of the Olympic champion.

 

The 2023 US Open reacted to the post with a series of emojis,

 

“😍😍😍😍”

Chicago Sky player Angel Reese was smitten, writing:

 

“I love thisss.”

Coco Gauff and Angel Reese react to Sha'Carri Richardson's Essence cover

Coco Gauff and Angel Reese react to Sha’Carri Richardson’s Essence cover

Noah Lyles’ fiancee and Jamaican sprinter Junelle Bromfield was also in awe of the red dress.

 

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“Third slide 🔥🔥🔥🔥” she wrote.

Richardson’s fellow U.S. Olympians Masai Russell and Tara Davis-Woodhall congratulated the sprinter for her historic feature.

 

 

Olympic athletes react to Sha'Carri Richardson's Essence cover

Olympic athletes react to Sha’Carri Richardson’s Essence cover

“Coming into this level of fame, I felt as if I would have to sacrifice who I am” – Sha’Carri Richardson

Athletics – Olympic Games Paris 2024: Sha'Carri Richardson wins 4x100m relay

Athletics – Olympic Games Paris 2024: Sha’Carri Richardson wins 4x100m relay

Sha’Carri Richardson is among the most popular athletes in the USA and though her journey to fame hasn’t been as she would have liked, she said she has navigated through the bumpy roads and is back to being herself.

 

Speaking in the interview with Essence, the 24-year-old claimed she had assumed she would have to change herself after gaining popularity and when she eventually did, she wasn’t happy.

 

“Coming into this level of fame—I definitely had moments where I felt as if I would have to sacrifice who I am, in order to have a career, in order to be what the world had basically deemed me to be,” Richardson said.

“And those moments were scary, because I’m like, If I can’t be me, I can’t even give you all what you respect and love me for. I wasn’t happy when I wasn’t being myself… But the unhappiness is what got me back to myself,” she added.

Sha’Carri Richardson has 4.2 million Instagram followers and is the most followed U.S. Track and Field Olympian on the platform.

 

 

 

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Usain Bolt bested Michael Johnson’s 12-years old record in the 200m at the Beijing Olympics

While Usain Bolt and American track legend Michael Johnson never faced of in direct competition their records pitted them against each other.

Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt has revealed one of his most satisfying career moments and it remains humbling American track legend Michael Johnson.

 

Despite the two never directly competing, comparisons between the sprinters have often fueled debates among fans and experts alike.

 

Bolt shared the experience during an appearance on the High Performance Podcast, where Johnson had previously tipped himself as having the edge over the Jamaican star. However, Bolt was quick to dismiss any such claims.

 

‘There’s never going to be another Usain Bolt’- American sprint legend dismisses comparisons with current sprint stars

‘There’s never going to be another Usain Bolt’- American sprint legend dismisses comparisons with current sprint stars

“No way he’s going to beat me,” Bolt confidently stated, as he proceeded to recall how he silenced Johnson’s doubts with an unforgettable performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

“One of the funniest videos, in ’08, I think it was BBC he was broadcasting with. If you go on the internet, you can find this video,” Bolt said, laughing as he recounted the moment.

 

“They were asking him, ‘Oh, do you think he’s gonna break the record?’ And he was like, ‘No, I think his mechanics need some work. It will take him two more years to get to the world record.’ Then, on the same day, I broke the world record.”

 

Bolt described watching the video as one of his guilty pleasures. “It’s one of my best videos. I watch it every now and again,” he admitted.

 

The moment Bolt referred to was his stunning performance in Beijing, where he ran 19.30 seconds in the 200m final, breaking Johnson’s long-standing record of 19.32 seconds that had held for 12 years.

 

The feat was a defining moment in Bolt’s career, proving his dominance on the global stage. But Bolt wasn’t done. A year later, at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, he obliterated his own record, clocking a jaw-dropping 19.19 seconds, a mark that still stands to this day.

 

‘These are adult times’ – Bullish Gout Gout confident of ‘bright future’ as comparisons to Usain Bolt gathers momentum

‘These are adult times’ – Bullish Gout Gout confident of ‘bright future’ as comparisons to Usain Bolt gathers momentum

While the two legends never raced head-to-head, Bolt’s achievements in the 200m remain a symbolic victory over Johnson’s legacy, cementing the Jamaican as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

 

For Bolt, proving doubters wrong has always been part of the thrill. But humbling Michael Johnson remains a memory he cherishes.

 

 

Usain Bolt has become the latest athlete to hail teenage sprinting sensation Gout Gout.

 

The 16-year-old continued his blistering form on the track at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship over the weekend.

 

 

Bolt gave his thoughts on Gout after being asked by a fan

 

The sprinting prodigy set a 200m national record on Saturday

The sprinting prodigy set a 200m national record on Saturday

In addition to setting personal bests in both the 100m and 200m, Gout set a new national record in the latter.

 

His time of 20.04 seconds surpassed the longstanding record of Peter Norman, set at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

 

 

The teenager also clocked a faster time than Bolt’s best at that age back in 2003.

 

Bolt has now given his own verdict on the Aussie phenom after being asked for his thoughts by a fan.

 

 

Responding on Instagram, the eight-time Olympic gold medallist said: “He looks like young me.”

 

It comes after he previously passed on some advice for Gout whilst reflecting on his own early days in the sport.

 

 

Bolt told the High Performance Podcast last month: “When I started out, I didn’t understand the concept of ‘being great’ because I was young

 

“I was 15 when I won the world juniors, I was really young and I was really talented so I didn’t have to work as hard as it was just talent, as I was winning and winning.”

 

“I remember when I got to the professional level, and I felt like it was just going to be easy.” he continued.

 

“And I got to the stage where I would go to meets and I would lose. And I was like, ‘This is strange, this is new’. So it took me a while to understand.”

 

 

Gout is already ahead of where Bolt was at the same age

Gout is already ahead of where Bolt was at the same age

The Jamaican still holds the world records for both the 100m and 200m, which he set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

 

Speaking after his 200m national record, the youngster told reporters: “Remember it.

 

 

“I’ve been chasing that record, but I didn’t think it would come this year. I thought it would come maybe next year, the year after that.

 

“Right now I can’t process it, but I guess tonight when I go to bed, I’ll think about it. These are adults. And me, I’m just a kid, and I’m running them (down). It’s pretty crazy.”

 

Bolt’s praise is the latest development in Gout’s meteoric rise this year, still three weeks away from turning 17.

 

Gout ‘looks like a young me’ says Bolt

Gout ‘looks like a young me’ says Bolt

 

He previously won silver at the World Under-20 Championships in Peru, once again in a faster time than Bolt had at the same age.

 

His medal was followed by a sponsorship deal with Adidas and an invite to train with Olympic champion Noah Lyles.

 

However, his father has sought to clarify a mistake around the sprint sensation – Gout Gout is not actually the teenager’s name.

 

 

 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone left her competitors in the dust on the now-iconic purple tracks at Stade de France. She defended her Olympic golds in Paris in the 400mH and 4x400m relay, making her the only woman to achieve this feat in the former. But she is also picky about the events she competes in. While she wasn’t eligible for the Diamond League grand finale in Brussels, the hurdler ran the 200m and 400m flat invitationals at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on September 13 and 14.

 

Watch What’s Trending Now!

 

Despite the chilly weather, the American eradicated her competition by scorching to the finish line in 49.11 seconds in the 400m, while she clinched a victory in the 200m with 22.07 seconds on the clock. And it looks like the 4x Olympic gold medalist received her flowers for her accolades. What is it and why are fans dragging Gabby Thomas into it?

 

Due to her insane feat in the French capital, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has been bestowed with a massive honor by the USATF. The USATF Wing Awards presented by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission took place on December 7, and she was the most dominant American track and field athlete of the Games. The official USATF Instagram account shared another massive achievement and captioned it:

 

 

 

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“The Queen of the Oval ✨🏆Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400H TWICE in 2024, defended her Olympic title, and helped Team USA to a 4×400 American record to win the Most Dominant Performer Wing Award presented by Greater Orlando Sports Commission.”

 

 

Moderately, they have other talents

 

Not much, they’ll adapt

 

It’s too early to tell

 

 

 

The hurdler turned heads at the 33rd Olympics in the City of Light. But her journey to greatness began shortly before that. She broke her own world record in the 400mH race in 50.65 seconds during the U.S. Olympic Trials before taking things to Paris. At Stade de France, the Olympian shattered that record for the sixth time with 50.37 seconds on the clock.

 

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While Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone proved that she was the reigning queen of the hurdles, her dominance didn’t end there. She joined compatriot Gabby Thomas in a bid to clinch another Olympic gold in the women’s 4x400m relay final. With a blistering split of 47.7 seconds, the quartet set a new American record of 3:15.27 in the process. Even though the USATF recognized her incredible feat, fans weren’t on board with it. They believed she should have received another honor in addition to the current one.

 

Gabby Thomas versus Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: Track and field fans debate!

The 2024 track season has been nothing short of spectacular for the 25-year-old. Not only did the hurdler shatter her own world record twice this year, but she also became the only athlete to defend her Olympic title in the event at the Summer Games. While USATF believed she deserved the Most Dominant Performer Wing Award, fans had opinions of their own:

 

“So she’s the best Track athlete in the world but not the country? She is world class in 3 events – 400mh, 400m flat, 200m & ran the fastest 400m split of all-time along with a WR – USATF is just going to fuel her to an even bigger year.”

“Should have won Female Athlete of the year over Gabby. Even WA agrees.”

Well, World Athletics unveiled the nominations for the annual Track Athlete of the Year in October, and the 25-year-old was one of the six nominees alongside Gabby Thomas, Julien Alfred, Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Marileidy Paulino. However, it was Thomas who was named the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Award winner in 2024.

 

With this, Gabby Thomas became the fifth consecutive sprinter to win the award: Dalilah Muhammad (2019), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (2021 and 2022) and Sha’Carri Richardson (2023). However, since McLaughlin-Levrone already won it twice, it seems like fans wanted to see her win it again.

 

 

“With all due respect to Gabby, but did she break the world record twice? Yes, she won three Olympic gold medals, but Sydney’s world record is worth more than all the gold medals.”

 

 

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Gabby Thomas bagged a total of three Olympic gold medals in Paris. She won the 200-meter race and was the running legs on the U.S. 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 relay teams.

 

“6× world record holder, 2 of them in 2024, undefeated in 2024. Noone’s as dominant.”

Regardless, there was a section of fans who were simply happy to see that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s talent was getting due recognition:

 

 

 

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“Absolute role model- she should be promoted everywhere.”

Hey, both the athletes have worked hard to get where they are. After a decent stint in the 2020 Tokyo Games, Thomas proved her mettle on the track in front of 77,000 fans at Stade de France. After clinching her first Olympic gold in the 200m, she emerged victorious in the 4×100 and 4x400m events. However, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lowered her own world record over the past three years. Both athletes have accomplished impressive feats in the City of Love. What do you think?

 

 

 

Sha’Carri Richardson, who herself has found herself competing with elite Jamaican stars like Shericka Jackson, has weighed in on the rivarly that exisists between the USA and the Carribean nation.

The storied rivalry between the United States and Jamaica in track and field continues to ignite passionate discussions, with Sha’Carri Richardson recently lending her voice to the conversation.

 

Speaking on Sprint season one, Richardson joined sprinting legends Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix in unpacking the significance of the fierce competition between the two powerhouse nations.

 

For decades, the USA-Jamaica rivalry has been a defining element of global athletics, consistently producing iconic moments. Richardson, who has emerged as one of the sport’s brightest stars, acknowledged the weight of this rivalry.

 

Sha’Carri Richardson’s teammate ‘Tee Tee’ Terry on why USA-Jamaica sprint rivarly is ‘healthy’

Sha’Carri Richardson’s teammate ‘Tee Tee’ Terry on why USA-Jamaica sprint rivarly is ‘healthy’

“If you don’t even know track, you know it is always US vs. Jamaica. Both countries always come with their best games,” Richardson said.

 

Allyson Felix, an 11-time Olympic medalist whose glittering career includes a historic 200-meter gold at the 2012 London Olympics, echoed Richardson’s sentiments.

 

Felix is intimately familiar with the rivalry, having faced Jamaica’s sprint queen Veronica Campbell-Brown in three consecutive Olympic finals. While Campbell-Brown claimed gold in 2004 and 2008, Felix turned the tide in 2012, cementing her legacy in the event.

 

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya website for more sports updates and analysis.

 

American legends Michael Johnson & Dennis Mitchell agree with Fred Kerley & Gabby Thomas on the ‘difficulty’ of USATF Olympic trials

American legends Michael Johnson & Dennis Mitchell agree with Fred Kerley & Gabby Thomas on the ‘difficulty’ of USATF Olympic trials

“It is in the history of track and field. This rivalry goes back a very long time. As an American athlete, you know there is only one outcome, and that is winning,” Felix stated.

 

The rivalry transcends the track, stirring deep national pride and fierce loyalty among fans. Felix highlighted the intensity of the emotions tied to these showdowns.

 

“Fans are so passionate. It can be intense. There is so much pride from both sides. Bragging rights,” she remarked.

 

For Usain Bolt, the rivalry shaped much of his career. Widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time, Bolt dominated the 100m and 200m events across three Olympic Games, securing eight gold medals between 2008 and 2016. His battles with American sprinters Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin were the centerpiece of his reign, cementing his status as the ultimate competitor.

 

“We all know that hey, USA is who you want to beat,” Bolt declared.

 

The USA-Jamaica rivalry continues to evolve, with both nations regularly producing world-class talent. While the competition often culminates on the Olympic and World Championship stages, its significance reverberates year-round, fueled by passionate athletes and devoted fans alike.

 

As Richardson, Felix, and Bolt reflected, this enduring rivalry symbolizes excellence and competitive spirit in track and field. It is not merely a contest between nations but a celebration of the sport’s rich history and its brightest stars, past and present.