Diamond League prize money runs anywhere from thousands per meet to tens of thousands for the elite. Elaine Thompson-Herah is walking away from all of it. For a sprinter still clawing back to full fitness after two lost seasons, that decision says everything about where her head is at. After all, for the Jamaican, a gold medal isn’t just a target; it’s the whole point.

The 33-year-old made her intentions clear earlier this month by registering for the Jamaican National Championships. Set to take place from June 18th to 21st, the event will be the official qualifier for the Commonwealth Games. And Thompson-Herah, the reigning champion in the 100 and 200m, is one of those athletes fans have been eagerly waiting to see back.

That finally happened with the Jamaican sprinter opting to skip the Diamond League in favor of the national championships. It does mark a big decision from Thompson-Herah, especially given the fact that she would be among the favourites at every meet. That could see her potentially earn anywhere from $500 to $20,000 (for Diamond + meets), depending on her finishing position.

Given her record so far this season and her pedigree, there’s no denying that Thompson-Herah would be among the top contenders. That’s despite the 2026 World Relays marking her return to the global stage for the first time in two years. A torn Achilles tendon in 2024 sidelined her for the remainder of the year, even forcing her to miss the 2024 Olympics.

Her problems extended into 2025, marking a grim time for Thompson-Herah. After all, this is the world’s fastest woman alive and a sprinting icon. A torn Achilles at 31 for most would mean the end of their racing career; not for the Jamaican, though. She took her time off, recovered, and then returned with a bang, having lost just one race since her comeback.

It happened to be at her season opener at the Camperdown Classics. There, the 33-year-old finished third in a field that included Lavanya Williams and Shaniqua Bascombe, who finished first and second. Williams will be back to challenge her at the National Championships in both the 100m and 200m. They’ll be joined by Niesha Burgher, Tina Clayton, Jodean Williams, and a handful of others.

In fact, both Lavanya and Jodean Williams were part of the gold-winning 4x100m relay team that Thompson-Herah anchored at the World Relays. It makes the field rather interesting and equally tough for the 33-year-old sprint icon, especially given the fact that most of her competition has been racing regularly this year.

That’s something Thompson-Herah hasn’t been doing, with her opting to take things easy instead. It comes as no real surprise, especially given the battle that the five-time Olympic gold medalist has gone through.

Elaine Thompson-Herah touches on her two-year injury battle

She believed that 2024 would be her year. After all, Elaine Thompson-Herah had ended the 2023 season by reaching the podium in every race bar two that she competed in. It’s a tally that saw her win the Brussels Diamond League, the Jamaican Championships, and more. With the Olympics on the horizon and the chance of a sixth and seventh gold medal, the 33-year-old believed it was in the bag.

Unfortunately, a recurring Achilles issue kicked back into play, and in the two races that she did compete in, Thompson-Herah wasn’t herself. Instead, she finished ninth. For the world’s fastest woman alive, that was well off the mark and something she couldn’t accept. So, she decided to deal with her injury and take time off. 

No one, not even Thompson-Herah, expected it to be a two-year battle that forced her to skip the Olympics and the entirety of the 2025 season, including the World Championships.

“It’s been a rough one, mentally, but I’ve overcome that,” Thompson-Herah said, as per NBC. “Track and field is my passion. It’s my love. Because I love it so much, I think that recovery part of it is easy. Not having pain is also a good feeling, of course.”

However, that’s exactly why the Jamaican icon doesn’t want to push things. She’s been taking things easier in 2026, only participating in six races since February. That has allowed her to keep herself race-fit without overexerting her body again.

“I don’t think I’m where I want to be yet,” she added. “I’m being patient with myself. … Once the pain is gone, Elaine is capable of doing anything.” 

For Thompson-Herah, the calculation appears simple: a Diamond League paycheck vs the chance to re-establish her legacy. And after spending two years fighting just to get back, the fastest woman alive has far bigger goals in mind.