After claiming bronze in the Olympic 100m, Fred Kerley has finally captured gold. At the 2024 Silesia Diamond League, Kerley stormed to victory in the 100m dash with a blazing 9.87 seconds, setting a new meet record and erasing Ronnie Baker’s 2018 mark. Despite this triumph, Kerley’s reaction was surprisingly nonchalant.

Taking to social media, he posted on X, “Trash race, but on to Rome,” signaling his sights are already set on the next challenge at the Diamond League in Rome, slated for August 30, 2024. With this understated message, Kerley hints that his best is yet to come.

However, this is not all. Fred Kerley opened up on his athletic performances this year, which have been much of a rollercoaster. The 3-time world champion said after his Silesia win, “I really cannot complain. I had some ups and downs this year.” A bronze at the U.S. Olympic trials, in the Paris 100m sprint, and in the 2024 Laussane Diamond League 200m, Kerley was perhaps vying for better finishes.

He admits, “Winning that bronze medal in Paris really means a gold to me,” but, he will keep pushing to be the best athlete in the world. Touching on his Silesia 2024 win, Fred Kerley also announced his ambitious plans for this season. He said, “The W is always good. I am all way to the end of the season but feel like my season has not started yet. I ran 81 a couple of weeks ago. But Paris right? It’s done. Hopefully, I can end a season with a PB.”

Today, in the race, the spotlight also remained on how Kerley once again donned Nike gear. Has he or has he not signed with the brand? Here’s all you need to know.

Fred Kerley’s sponsorship saga coming to an end?

The NYC Grand Prix 2024, was where Fred Kerley found himself in hot waters. Despite his ASICS sponsor, the athlete showed up wearing PUMA shoes for the race, one that devoid him of the sponsorship. ASICS withdrew, and in a flash, Kerley was left with no shoe sponsor, before the Olympics.

Ever since, there was one question that everyone asked: what next? Well, after the Laussane DL, a lot of the speculations seem to be put to an end. Spotted in a complete Nike kit, an X post by RoriDunk suggested that Kerley had signed back with Nike, his long-standing sponsor since 2017, up until he joined ASICS in 2023.

When left with no sponsor for the Olympics, Fred Kerley knew that Nike was his most-trusted bet. He raced down the Hayward Field tracks at the trials in his Nike Air Zoom Maxfly spikes. And now, at both the leagues, he dons the same brand again. Is this confirmatory enough? Share your thoughts below.