Stephen Francis, one of the world’s most respected coaches and the man in charge of Elaine Thompson’s career, said he is happy with the athlete’s performance at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on May 27, 2017.
Double Olympic sprint champion Thompson, hitherto ran unmatched over 100m and 200m before losing to Tori Bowie and Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the latter event.
“I didn’t expect her to run well, but those are for reasons other than her not being 100 per cent….As far as I know, she is 100 per cent,” said Francis on local TV.
In the race, which included the big five, Thompson, Bowie, Miller-Uibo, Allyson Felix and Dafne Schippers, three dipped under 22 seconds.
Bowie ran 21.77 to finish ahead of her training partner Miller-Uibo, 21.91, a Bahamian record, and Thompson 21.98.
Schippers was fourth in 20.30 and Felix, fifth in 22.37.
“It’s just another race,” Francis said. “She was third last year in this particular race, I think she lost to Bowie by point-2 last year and she lost again by point-2 again this year … Come the Olympic she beat Bowie by about point-5, so it’s nothing for me to be worried about and I know she is not worried,” added Francis.
Francis also touched on the track known to produce very fast times.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to take the meet seriously when you know she is running on a track where times cannot be believed. So I suspect that was part of the problem. She’s trying out different strategies in running the 200m, she was almost last coming off the turn, I think she did well to close,” according to the MVP coach.
