Stephen Francis sheds light on the rift between Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce & Elaine Thompson-Herah at MVP: 'It became too much'

Both Fraser-Pryce & Thompson-Herah were teammates for a long time at MVP under Stephen Francis' guidance, but their rise to becoming world class sprinters naturally created animosity between the two.

Iconic Jamaican sprint coach Stephen Francis has provided rare insights into the strained relationship between sprinting legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah that ultimately led to their departure from the MVP Track Club in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

The revelations, shared during the first season of SPRINT, shed light on how personal and professional dynamics unraveled at one of Jamaica's most successful training hubs.

Francis explained that tensions between the two sprinters—once friends—escalated as both athletes vied for supremacy on the global stage.

“We had Shelly who was first on the scene. She reigned for a long time, then Elaine came,” Francis shared.

 “They were friends at one point, but once you have two strong females going head-to-head for one thing and then see each other standing in the way, they develop problems with each other."

According to Francis, the situation reached a tipping point when communication between the two broke down entirely. Fraser-Pryce left MVP first, founding the Elite Performance Track Club under coach Reynaldo Walcott in 2020. One year later, Thompson-Herah also parted ways with MVP, citing the need for more individualized training.

Reflecting on her decision to leave, Fraser-Pryce acknowledged the toxicity surrounding her relationship with Thompson-Herah as a significant factor.

“I had no other choice. You are grateful for the experience, but I had to make decisions for myself to get to the next level,” Fraser-Pryce stated.

For Thompson-Herah, MVP’s team-oriented approach conflicted with her desire for personalized coaching.

“With Elaine, there was an expectation of one-on-one attention over other athletes, which she thought was more important than the results she was getting,” Francis noted.

Despite achieving historic milestones, including back-to-back Olympic titles in the 100m and 200m, Thompson-Herah has struggled to recapture her dominant form since leaving MVP. A brief stint with Walcott’s camp and an Achilles injury further derailed her progress, forcing her out of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah have sought new environments to revitalize their careers, Shericka Jackson, the third member of Jamaica’s "big three," remains with MVP. 

Rising stars such as the Clayton twins, Tina and Tia, as well as Kishane Thompson, the Olympic 100m silver medalist, continue to benefit from the club’s team-oriented training philosophy.

Reports surfaced in October suggesting that both Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah might consider returning to MVP to rebuild their form. However, no official moves have been made, and their competitive paths remain separate.

As Thompson-Herah works to regain fitness in Florida and Fraser-Pryce focuses on her ambitions with Elite Performance, both athletes remain committed to their legacy-building journeys. Their rivalry, once an internal club matter, has become a defining narrative in Jamaican sprinting history.

Whether they reunite at MVP or continue forging their individual paths, the story of these two titans underscores the complexities of balancing personal ambition with team dynamics at the highest level of athletics.