If you thought 2025 was going to be Fred Kerley’s quiet comeback year, think again. The American sprint star, who stole headlines by clinching the 100-meter gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, is gearing up for something even bigger.
That 2022 victory was more than Fred Kerley’s personal best of 9.86 second, it marked a historic U.S. 100m podium sweep. But fast forward to 2025, and things haven’t exactly gone to script.
Kerley’s season has been littered with setbacks, a disappointing 7th place finish in Kingston, skipping the Miami leg of the Grand Slam Track meet, and a tough double loss at the Diamond League stop in Rabat.
A Reality Check in Rabat
At Rabat’s Diamond League meet on May 25, expectations were sky-high for Fred Kerley to dominate both the 100m and 200m sprints. But the night belonged to others. In the 200m, Courtney Lindsey surged to a sharp 20.04-second finish, with Joseph Fahnbulleh narrowly edging Kerley out for second place by just 0.04 seconds. Kerley settled for third with a 20.16.
The 100m was equally unforgiving. South Africa’s Akani Simbine, currently enjoying an undefeated streak, took top honors at 9.95 seconds. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala finished second, while Kerley crossed the line third in 10.07. For a man used to the podium’s highest step, it was a night of tough lessons.
Grinding Behind the Scenes
But if you think those losses have dimmed Kerley’s fire, you don’t know Fred. In true champion fashion, he’s taken to Instagram to share snippets of his intense training sessions.
An Instagram clip showed him pushing hard on the track.
“Only one thing matter run run run run 🏃🏿♂️ ⚡️ 🇫🇷 🇺🇸”.
Another post read, “Y’all stuck on scenes. I’m writing chapters. Skit over, story beginning.”
Clearly, Kerley is putting in the work behind closed doors, staying locked in, despite facing additional hurdles, including a suspension from the upcoming Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Eyes on Tokyo 2025
While recent meets haven’t gone his way, Kerley’s focus remains razor-sharp. He’s set his sights on the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, a city where he previously won Olympic silver in 2020. This time, the goal isn’t just gold, it’s Bolt’s iconic 9.58 world record.
And if anyone’s equipped to chase it down, it’s Kerley. One of the rare sprinters to clock sub-10 seconds in the 100m, sub-20 in the 200m, and sub-44 in the 400m, his versatility is unmatched. Beyond raw speed, it’s his explosive starts, relentless work ethic, and hunger to rewrite history that set him apart.
Not Just Talk, Kerley Has the Tools
Kerley isn’t your typical sprinter. His transition from a 400m specialist to a 100m contender has been nothing short of remarkable. Since claiming his first World Championship gold in 2022 and adding Olympic medals from both Tokyo and Paris, he’s proven he’s no one-hit wonder.
Yes, 2025 has tested him. Yes, the wins haven’t been as frequent. But if history’s any indicator, champions like Fred Kerley always find a way back. As he put it himself: “Records come and go, but gold lasts forever.”
With three months to Tokyo, don’t count him out. The chapters Kerley’s writing behind the scenes might just lead to one of the biggest sprint stories of the decade.
