Fred Kerley has been a top athlete for a long time. He has his own mysterious ways of delivering messages before large-scale track meetings, which his supporters really like. However, the athlete’s categories have changed numerous times throughout his illustrious career, but the 2021 season was particularly memorable for him, as he showed exceptional talent in the 100-meter division.
The Zurich Diamond League’s official Instagram page evoked nostalgia in the track world with an old video from the 2021 Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League. The grid for the finals included several other well-known athletes such as Andre De Grasse, Trayvon Brommell, Akani Simbine, and others.
The video highlights Kerley, who was having an excellent year and seemed confident after his silver medal run in the same category at the Tokyo Olympics. This competition was also part of his preparation for the 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships.
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However, the other athletes were up against a motivated Kerley, and despite a 0.4 headwind making the task considerably harder, the American did not hesitate, putting in a spectacular 9.87 and crossing the finish line first. The athlete’s dominance from the 2021 season was enough to stun himself, and he also left a comment alongside the fans.
“Greatness.”
Track and field fans continue to marvel at Fred Kerley’s achievements and this was exactly what they did – reminding the critics of a specific statistic set by Kerley during the 2021 season.
“People keep forgetting this man broke a barrier that year had the world shook.”
One track fan was surprised by the nostalgia that struck them after seeing the video-
“Texas boy had 2022 in his hands! We go again my man!”
Observers also noticed Fred Kerley’s physical features, when this viewer playfully gave an interesting detail-
“Do you all notice how Fed stick out his beard to win races? Better not shave that thing.”
A fan also recalled the time when the athlete was sponsored by Nike-
“Nike Fred was really on smoke.”
Following the Zurich Diamond League, a new dominant Kerley emerged on the track. It was one of his most faultless campaigns, but at the 2023 Budapest World Championships, the 100m world champion lost his title after being eliminated in the semi-finals, which disappointed him, but he promised to compete again stronger.
Fred Kerley’s Disappointment in Budapest
Many track enthusiasts were watching Fred Kerley defend his title at the 2023 World Championships. He ran a great heat time of 9.99 and appeared to be in fine form. However, the tables flipped in the semi-finals when he timed a 10.02 and was unable to go to the finals because his competitors, Oblique Seville and Letsile Tebogo, qualified.
According to Netflix’s ‘Sprint’, episode 5, “The Gold Standard,” the athlete rushed out of the stadium because he did not want to answer any questions concerning his elimination. He was simply upset with himself, and he knew he could have run better.
A few frames later, Wallace Spearmon Jr., the 2007 Osaka World Championship gold medalist, was shown in the documentary as he met Fred and inquired about what happened during the competition.
After admitting that he could have run a faster time, Kerley promised to be more cautious with his nutrition and training and to be fully prepared for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Spearmon Jr. was impressed by the athlete’s excitement since he understood the frustration of losing a major tournament.
