Do you remember the 1992 Olympics? If so, Dennis Mitchell would definitely ring a bell in your mind. During that period, he not only won a bronze medal in the 100m race but also contributed to America’s gold medal victory in the 4 × 100 meters relay. Now, as a coach, what would you expect from him? Back-to-back victories. Right? His roster boasts stars like Sha’Carri Richardson, Kenny Bednarek, Justin Gatlin, Aaron Brown, Kaylin Whitney, Javianne Oliver, and Twanisha Terry. But this time, this Olympics Mitchell’s mission is different. To make the USA shine brightly once more, guiding his athletes to break records, surpass expectations, and bring home the bacon.

Over the years, Jamaica’s sprinting Ability has been Leading the way, that’s pretty much captured in the Netflix documentary “Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans,” Season 1, Episode 2. It starts with Mitchell recalling the 1992 Olympics, a time when the United States dominated track and field, led by legends like Flo Jo, whose records in the 100m and 200m still stand tall. But!

Since 2008, Jamaica began its golden streak in the men’s and women’s 100m at the Olympics, followed by triumphs in 2012 and 2016 with Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser setting the pace. Even in Tokyo 2020, Shelly-Ann Fraser won the 100m race and took home gold. Now, as Team USA gears up for the future, they’re leaving no stone unturned to sprint back to victory and reclaim their throne as the kings of the track.

America reigned supreme in women’s 100m World Athletics Championships from 1993 to 2005, claiming gold each year except for a single loss in 2001 to Zhanna Pintusevich-Block (UKR). But everything changed after that. From 2007 to 2022, Jamaica dominated, led by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, with only losses in 2011 and 2017. But was it so easy for Jamaica? Well, no! SCR made them count! Everything changed last year when Sha’Carri Richardson took the throne back, leaving Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce behind in the World Athletics Championships.

In the Netflix documentary, coach Dennis Mitchell reflects, ‘Over the last few years, I’ve seen the Jamaicans dominate, taking 123 in five world titles.’ He candidly discusses the initial challenges, saying, ‘It was disheartening to see them be so dominant in the event that I coach.’ However, he expresses confidence in his team’s progress, adding, ‘But now I have a team that can rival those Jamaicans when it comes to the World Championships in Budapest. We aim to turn things around quickly.’

Sha’Carri Richardson has really set the pace with her speed, shaking up the competition. Adding to this year’s success, Dennis Mitchell has coached three athletes—Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, and Sha’Carri Richardson—all of whom have qualified for the Paris Olympics. This achievement shows the hard work the coach is putting in his training, leaving no stone unturned. But do you know that track and field is different in Jamaica? It’s not just a sport, but more than that. Remember Michael Johnson’s words?

Can Sha’Carri Richardson change the game?

Michael Johnson’s impactful words linger in our minds since Netflix released the documentary on July 2nd. As he puts it, “Sprinting, not just track and field or athletics, Sprinting is the national sport in Jamaica if you’re Jamaican champion that absolutely means something.” This perspective holds true today. Sprinting isn’t just a sport in Jamaica; it’s a way of life, almost ingrained in the culture. And we all are very much aware of this. Since Flo Jo’s 100m record of 10.49 remains unbroken, only Jamaicans have come close.

For instance, Elaine Thompson ran 10.54 and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 10.60. The same applies to Flo Jo’s 200m record of 21.34, with only Jamaicans like Shericka Jackson at 21.41 and Elaine Thompson at 21.53 coming close. Given these challenges, do you think Sha’Carri Richardson can shake up the scene at the Paris Olympics?

Well, looking at Sha’Carri Richardson’s streak this year, her season bests stand at 10.71 in the 100m and 21.92 in the 200m, with a personal best matching her 10.65 in the 100m. At just 24, she’s been breaking records left and right, and there’s more to come at the Paris Olympics.

However, Richardson has already qualified in the 100m trials, where her biggest rival will be Shericka Jackson from Jamaica, who’s qualified in both the 100m and 200m with respective season bests of 10.84 and 22.29. Judging by Richardson’s pace this season, she’s clearly ahead of Jackson. Do you think she can outshine Jackson at the Paris Olympics? Drop a comment and let us know.