Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has cemented her place among the greatest of all time. Yet, as the 2025 season unfolds, her comeback from injury has sparked both hope and skepticism.
Thompson-Herah’s 2025 season opener raised immediate concerns. In what should have been a smooth return, she pulled up mid-race, clocking an uncharacteristic 11.48s in the 100m, a far cry from the blazing times fans associate with her name.
It wasn’t just a poor run; it was a moment that triggered genuine fears about the end of a storied career. After years of battling chronic Achilles tendon issues, age and repeated setbacks are beginning to weigh heavily.
A Career of Courage Amid Chronic Injury
Injuries have long been part of Thompson-Herah’s journey. Chronic Achilles problems began troubling her as early as 2017, hampering her World Championship outings in both 2017 and 2019, where she failed to medal. But despite persistent pain and disrupted training cycles, she delivered an unforgettable Olympic double at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021). There, she claimed gold in both sprint finals, running a blistering 10.61s in the 100m, breaking Florence Griffith-Joyner’s Olympic record, and a 21.53s in the 200m.
Just weeks later at the Prefontaine Classic, she stunned the world again by running 10.54s, the fastest time ever by a living woman and the second-fastest in history.
However, in June 2024, those long-standing Achilles issues resurfaced in devastating fashion. At the New York City Grand Prix, Thompson-Herah pulled up mid-race with a small Achilles tear, forcing her to withdraw from the Paris Olympics and miss the Jamaican National Trials. It was a crushing blow for the five-time Olympic champion and her global fanbase.
Is a Final Comeback Possible?
Now, at 31, Thompson-Herah is back in training, reportedly in Florida, eyeing a return to competition. Drawing inspiration from fellow Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who remained at the top of the sprinting world well into her mid-30s, Elaine remains defiant.
“I will continue keeping my faith and belief because I know I have a lot more in me… every season there’s some bumps in the road,” she said as reported by Essentially Sports.
But the road ahead is anything but simple. Track & Field analyst Emerole Anderson weighed in on her situation, offering a sobering perspective.
“We may not actually see Elaine Thompson-Herah get back to her old form… to be able to bounce back from injuries, to be able to get to the top of the podium once again. That is not easy,” he stated.
Anderson highlighted the compounding effect of injuries and the reality of athletic longevity:
“Those setbacks can only pile on for so long.”
A Changing of the Guard
While Thompson-Herah fights to reclaim her place, a new generation of sprint stars is rapidly rising. Shericka Jackson, her fellow Jamaican teammate, has emerged as the undisputed queen of the 200m, clocking 21.41s, the second-fastest time in history, and a formidable 10.65s in the 100m.
Meanwhile, American star Sha’Carri Richardson has firmly established herself as one of the sport’s biggest names.
Other rising talents, including Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, are also making significant strides on the international stage. If Thompson-Herah doesn’t rediscover her elite form, this new wave of sprinters appears poised to lead the sport’s next chapter.
At 90% of her previous form, Thompson-Herah remains a threat to any final lineup in global sprinting.
For now, fans and the athletics world will be watching closely, hoping to witness another chapter in one of the most remarkable sprint careers of all time.