The Jamaican sprint legend has reacted to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Rasheed Broadbell leaving the Elite Performance Track and Field Club.
Jamaican sprint legend Bertland Cameron has weighed in on the surprising departures of two prominent athletes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Rasheed Broadbell, from the Reynaldo Walcott-led Elite Performance Track and Field Club.
Both athletes have decided to move on from the group, with Fraser-Pryce, one of the founding members, ending her longstanding association with the club after helping establish it in 2016.
Fraser-Pryce, 37, widely regarded as the "queen of sprinting," had initially joined Elite Performance after splitting from her longtime coach, Stephen Francis, and the MVP Track Club.
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The eight-time Olympic medalist's exit has sparked widespread speculation, although the five-time 100m world champion has not yet revealed her next move.
Cameron, the former 400m world champion and head coach of the Cameron Blazers, said he was not surprised by Fraser-Pryce's decision.
“With Shelly-Ann, she felt that it was time; she has done her best with coach Walcott and has decided that she wants to move on. That’s the queen of the sport, and she must know what is best for her. We just have to hope for the best for her,” he stated as per Jamaica Observer.
Fraser-Pryce’s departure from Elite Performance follows a decorated period where she reclaimed her place at the pinnacle of sprinting, capturing back-to-back World Championship titles in the 100m in 2019 and 2022.
However, her latest move leaves questions about where she will train as she looks ahead to what could potentially be her final Olympic appearance at the 2024 Paris Games.
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Cameron, a stalwart in Jamaican athletics, noted that in the high-stakes world of professional sports, athletes often change camps to pursue their goals.
“We are in a professional world in sports, especially in Jamaica, and athletes are going to move on while others will stay because they want the major prize,” he explained.
In addition to Fraser-Pryce, Rasheed Broadbell, who recently won a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has also left Elite Performance.
Broadbell, 24, is expected to rejoin MVP Track Club, where his career initially took off before he moved to Elite Performance in 2021.
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According to Cameron, the move may be part of Broadbell’s personal ambition to further elevate his career.
“[Broadbell] has also done well for himself since joining Elite Performance from MVP Track Club a few years ago, so his return to MVP Track Club must be a personal choice. He has done very well since he has been with Walcott. He won a bronze medal at the Olympics, but maybe his expectations are higher, and he wants to try something else. We just have to hope for the best for these athletes, because it is their lives,” Cameron said.
Broadbell is not the only Elite Performance athlete heading back to MVP.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the double Olympic sprint champion in both the 2016 and 2020 Games, has reportedly rejoined MVP Track Club after parting ways with Walcott’s camp.
Her decision further signals a significant reshuffling of Jamaica's top athletes ahead of future international competitions.
While Thompson-Herah’s return to MVP is reportedly in advanced stages of negotiation, it remains unclear if other high-profile Elite Performance athletes, such as Rushell Clayton and Stacey-Ann Williams, will remain with Walcott’s programme or follow suit in seeking new coaching setups.
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Cameron reiterated that athletes must make decisions based on what they believe will lead them to success.
“It’s their lives, and they have to do what is best for their careers."