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Fred Kerley and Marcell Jacobs are among top athletes who have changed coaches recently but they have been warned against expecting miracles from their new tacticians
American sprint legend Michael Johnson feels athletes changing coaches now, less than a year to the Olympics, are taking a risk as the switch will not guarantee them success at the 2024 Games in Paris.
Former world 100m champion Fred Kerley, Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the 2019 world champion in 200m, are among top athletes who have changed coaches in the last one month.
Asher-Smith split with her long-time coach John Blackie last week, nine months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, ending a 19-year relationship following her disappointing results at this year's World Championships where she finished eighth in the 100m final and seventh in the 200m.
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16:20 - 13.10.2023
ATHLETICS Dina Asher-Smith joins Marcel Jacobs and Fred Kerley in changing coaches ahead of Olympic Games
Dina Asher-smith shared that she had parted ways with her coach John Blackie and will now be guided by Edrick Floreal ahead of the Olympic Games.
Kerley, meanwhile, said last month that he is being coached by 1992 Olympic 400m gold medalist Quincy Watts, having trained under Grenada’s Alleyne Francique since he sprinted for Texas A&M.
The American also endured a frustrating Worlds, when he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 100m, missing a chance to defend his title, while Jacobs is now being coached by Rana Reider after moving to Florida having been training in Rome under Paolo Camossi for several years.
Jacobs has had an injury-ravaged 2023 which saw him miss the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
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09:10 - 26.09.2023
ATHLETICS: Marcel Jacobs and Fred Kerley make coaching changes ahead of Olympic Games
Fred Kerley and Marcel Jacobs failed to impress at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, something that might have forced them to change coaches.
While the athletes are seeking improved performances ahead of the Olympics, Johnson thinks some of them are looking for the new coaches to perform miracles which will not happen.
“Several track athlete coaching changes 10 months ahead of Paris ‘24. Most are smart moves. Smart reasons: Relationship isn’t working. Disagreement on training and competing strategies. Athlete needs a new training environment or partners,” the former 200m and 400m world and Olympic world record holder posted on X.
“Not so smart reasons: Poor results and athlete doesn’t know why. Grass looks greener with another coach. Looking for new coach to perform miracles.”
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22:00 - 10.10.2023
ATHLETICS American sprint legend Michael Johnson predicts end of marathon hype after Kiptum's record
Kenyan marathoner Kelvin Kiptum's record-breaking feat stuns the world, surpassing Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge's time.
Johnson then went on to warn the athletes that being successful will be down to what they put in and how they conduct themselves before the Olympics or any other competition.
“A coach is important to an athlete’s success, but they cannot help athletes produce results beyond their potential, their work ethic and commitment, or their ability to execute on race day,” he added.
“The best coach-athlete relationship is a partnership where both parties understand their responsibilities to the relationship and the athlete’s success.”
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