This time, the Olympic Games will continue without the Fastest Woman Alive, Elaine Thompson-Herah. Because of her injury, the Jamaican sprinter has already withdrawn from the competition. Consequently, it seems unlikely that she and Sha’Carri Richardson will face off in the highly anticipated 100-meter sprint anytime soon. The last time they competed, the American superstar didn’t give her Jamaican rival a chance to overtake her. Given this, the five-time Olympic champion may have had an opportunity to make amends in their next race. However, according to a former Olympian, Elaine may no longer have that moment.

No, he didn’t talk about Sha’Carri Richardson’s overwhelming pace to meek the Jamaican legend. Rather, Ato Boldon claimed that Elaine’s injury might have taken a deeper toll on her. In his interview with LetsRun.com, the Olympic medalist added a few more insights, saying, “I think more than anything else… Her body, physically is done.” He shared those heavy lines without losing his respect for the Olympic double-double champion.

Meanwhile, since this season had started to walk towards the Paris Olympics, the track world developed the utmost plea to watch Elaine Thompson-Herah equal Usain Bolt by completing her triple-double at the Olympics. The athlete herself indicated a similar wish by sharing lines like “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song” on X. According to Ato Boldon, it was an overestimation of her ability on the track. He admitted, “It happens. It happens a lot in this sport.” The Trinidadian gave the example of Asafa Powell, the former world champion who had also gone through a similar experience. But in the end, fate was unexpected. 

After returning from his injury, Asafa Powell couldn’t recreate his fiery pace on the track, let alone win the global titles. Therefore, Bolden concluded his thought by saying, “I have appreciated her [Elaine Thompson-Herah]. I will give her all her flowers. I think coming back, not with that injury, not with where she came from, ten, five.” But Elaine herself thinks differently. 

Elaine Thompson-Herah prefers her health but is ready to go one last time 

Elaine Thompson-Herah has had struggles with her injuries for years. Before the Tokyo Olympics as well, she felt niggles. But every time she took a break from track duty, the treatment did the job for her. This time, even when she had to be carried off by shoulders in the New York Grand Prix, fans still believed their idol wouldn’t back out before achieving the moment of her life—the triple-double at the Olympics. But her scratching from the Jamaican trials in the last hours made things complicated. Now, Ato Boldon’s words on her comeback chance may give a feeling of a death knell to those who wish to see her on the track again. But the 32-year-old athlete had a different say. 

While posting about her scratching from the Jamaican trials, Elaine Thompson-Herah penned, “I am hurt and devastated to missing the Olympics this year but at the end of the day, it’s sports and my health comes first. I will be back.” She also informed that she will come back only after gaining full health, not with a fitness level of 90%. Her former coach at MVP, Stephen Francis, also suggested she get back to the USA for full training exercises to gain her previous aura on the track again. So from that perspective, Elaine has her doors open. But she should be mindful of the things Ato Boldon mentioned.