Elaine Thompson-Herah issues message of caution to Jamaica as major hurricane Melissa set to approach the country's coast

Elaine Thompson-Herah sent a cautionary message to fellow Jamaicans as Hurricane Melissa approached to hit the coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Melissa is currently experiencing "extreme rapid intensification."

With a wind speed of 140 mph, Hurricane Melissa entered into a category 4 storm and is likely to intensify to reach category 5 on the night of October 26. The authorities have warned the people in Jamaica to seek shelter as the hurricane is expected to bring heavy rainfall, flooding, and strong winds on Monday and Tuesday. It is also expected to cause power outages, floods, and damage to infrastructure. The authorities have put all the hospitals on high alert and emergency mode.

Amid the severity of the situation, the Jamaican sprinter issued a message of caution for her countrymen and urged them to be careful and alert, writing:

"Please be safe y'all and be smart."

Screenshot of Thompson-Herah's Instagram story.

Thompson-Herah is one of Jamaica's legends in sprinting history. She also holds the national record in the 100m, which she registered during the 2021 Prefontaine Classic by clocking a stunning 10.54 seconds. The sprinter has collected six Olympic medals so far. However, she was forced to miss the 2024 Paris Games after suffering from a severe Achilles injury.

The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) showed concern when she announced her absence from the National Senior Championships and World Championships this year. She missed the World Championships this year after five consecutive appearances at the 2015 Beijing, 2017 London, 2019 Doha, 2022 Eugene, and 2023 in Budapest editions.

"I see the shade, the bad comments" - When Elaine Thompson-Herah opened up after securing her second 100m Olympic gold medal

Elaine Thompson-Herah at the 2023 Diamond League in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Getty Images)

Elaine Thompson-Herah won her second Olympic gold medal in the 100m at the Tokyo Games, after winning the title for the first time in Rio. However, the win wasn't a piece of cake for the sprinter as she suffered from an Achilles injury the same year, which forced her to withdraw from a few races. Following her victory, she reflected on the setback while expressing her confidence and faith in God.

"Last month this time, I didn’t think I would be here today. I have been up and down with this injury, the same old injury. I have faith, I believe in God, I believe in myself. I know what I can do. I know what I am capable of doing."

She added:

"I see the shade, the bad comments, the mental thing that they threw on me that I am mental, but I am not mental. I believe in God, and I have faith …. and five years later I came here and defended my title. God is amazing." (trackalerts.com)

Elaine Thompson-Herah registered an Olympic record in Tokyo after posting 10.61s.