Fred Kerley, the 3-time World champion, shows confidence in his ability to break the longstanding world record in the 100m. When the Olympic silver medalist announced he was ready to headline the New York City Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium, the track and field world was filled with anticipation. However, in disheartening news, Kerley did not run the 100m race after all, despite having shown up to the stadium and taken his place in the 5th lane. This was not the end of the rollercoaster that the Grand Prix proved to be for Kerley.

The 2022 World Champion shared several cryptic messages on his social media accounts that have people around the world scrambling to decode the hidden meanings. These enigmatic posts, combined with the false start incident and a series of tumultuous sponsorship deals, have sparked speculation about his future and left fans and analysts wondering if these setbacks signify deeper issues in his professional journey. As the athletics community seeks clarity, the uncertainty around Kerley’s next moves highlights the pressures on elite athletes.

Fred Kerley’s roundabout tweets are raising some eyebrows

A post on Fred Kerley’s official Twitter account hinted at a career crisis. He wrote after the New York City Grand Prix debacle, “there is more to something than what meets the eyes.” Earlier that day, Kerley had experienced one of the most tumultuous days of his life. Firstly, he had two false starts during the 100m dash. While being followed by Netflix’s SPRINT team, Kerley reportedly had loose pads on the starting board. After a row with the officials, who did not take his complaints seriously, Kerley walked off the track. He later told Citius Mag, “As a veteran, they was just taking too long. I was asking and requesting for some new blocks. One of my pads was broken. I slipped the first time and then I slipped the second time. It was not about to happen a third time.”

He further added, “First of all, them blocks look like elementary blocks,” he said. “We at a professional meet. So you should have professional blocks with professional sensors on them.”  Reportedly, he was getting cold and got off the track to prevent injury. Furthermore, he was spotted sporting a pair of PUMA Spikes when warming up despite being an athlete sponsored by ASICS. However, he mentioned that he did not switch it up on purpose; he had just simply missed his ASICS shoes at the airport. Later that day at 7 pm, Kerley took to Instagram to share a video of him training in PUMA spikes.

He captioned it saying, “What’s understood don’t need to be explained.” Additionally, near 9 pm, he tweeted several photos of himself in PUMA spikes, walking into the track before the race. An ASICS spokesperson revealed that they are terminating their contract with Kerley, “ASICS and Fred Kerley have mutually parted ways and he is no longer an ASICS sponsored athlete. We wish him the best in his career.” This has made Kerley an unsponsored athlete for the first time since 2022. Needless to say, it was a stressful day for Fred Kerley. 

World champion’s Olympic dream under duress 

In late 2023, Fred Kerley faced his first setback when he was unable to qualify for the 2023 World Championships. Humiliatingly, he was the defending champion, having won gold in the race in 2022. At the Worlds, he had also recorded his personal best of 10.11s, which was also the season’s best in the 100m. Additionally, he had finished the 200m in 20.17, an impressive feat. But it has been more or less downhill from there. Earlier this year, Kerley scratched from the Oslo and Stockholm Diamond Leagues; however, he decided to headline the NYC Grand Prix. When asked what caused the change of heart in his coach Quincy Watts, he refused to give anything away, “Whatever happens at the coach’s table, stays at the coach’s table.”

At the NYC Grand Prix, Nigerian sprinter Udodi Onwuzurike won gold in the men’s race with a time of 10.24 seconds. This may not bode well for Kerley’s chances of qualifying for Paris. Though he has been vocal about participating in the Paris Olympics in the 100m and 200m categories, we will have to wait for the trials. Eugene, Oregon, will host the US Olympic Trials later this month on June 22nd. Hopefully, Fred Kerley will be able to make his dreams a reality.