Olympic champion Elaine Thompson’s mentor Jerry Holness joins as Indian women’s 400m coach

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson’s mentor Jerry Holness joins as Indian women’s 400m coach

Renowned Jamaican athletics coach Jerry Lee Holness, who has mentored the likes of multiple Olympics and World Championships gold medallist sprinters Elaine Thompson and Nesta Carter, has taken charge of the Indian women’s 400m team ahead of some high-profile events coming up this year.

Holness, a highly-experienced and much-travelled coach, joined the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) at the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Monday.

“Holness has joined NCoE Thiruvananthapuram. He is a highly experienced World Athletics Level 5 coach. He has coached some of the best in Jamaica including Olympic and World Championships medallists,” Indian athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told PTI.

“He will take charge of the Indian women’s 400m and 400m hurdles team which is currently based in Thiruvananthapuram,” he added.

Holness’ tenure will be up to 2026 initially and can be extended after an evaluation of his performance.

He will be coaching the likes of Hima Das, Subha Venkatesan Rupal, Kiran Pahal and Vithya Ramraj at LNCPE Thiruvananthapuram.

The 65-year-old Jamaican replaced Stashuk Valerii who was Indian women’s 400m and 400m hurdles coach till the Paris Olympics.

“Since the Indian women’s 400 team did not do well in the Paris Olympics, SAI did not want to renew his contract. Valerii has left after the Paris Olympics, so SAI wanted a new coach,” Nair said from Thiruvananthapuram.

“We have important assignments this year like the Asian Championships, World Relays and World Championships, so Holness coming in will be a big boost,” he added.

Holness joining the Indian athletics set-up came just days after the hiring of Russian legend Sergey Makarov Aleksandrovich as javelin coach. It is, however, learnt that double Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will primarily train with his own coach Jan Železný, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and world record holder in javelin throw.

Holness was part of the coaching staff of his country during the Paris Olympics. As track and field head coach at the famous Manchester High School at Mandeville in Jamaica, Holness has guided top athletes like Elaine Thompson, Nesta Carter, Sherone Simpson and Natoya Goule.

Thomson was the women’s 100m and 200m gold winner in both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and she also won a 100m bronze in 2022 World Championships.

Carter was part of the gold winning men’s 4x100m relay team in 2012 Olympics which also had the legendary Usain Bolt. He also won 4x100m relay gold in the 2011, 2013 and 2015 World Championships.

Holness has also worked as coach in the United Arab Emirates and the Cayman Islands.