Two years ago at the 2023 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships, one young sprinter set the standard in the 200 meters with a blistering 22.73s while qualifying. She crossed the line ahead of Mariah Ayers of Baylor and stood toe to toe with future Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who would go on to win the final in a record-setting 22.26. At the time, the Texas-based runner’s performance suggested she was ready to challenge the very best in collegiate sprinting. And now under the guidance of legendary coach Glen Mills, she is yet again looking forward to making a comeback.

That athlete was Kevona Davis. The former Edwin Allen standout carried her talent from Jamaica’s “Champs” stage to the University of Texas, where she earned NCAA gold twice with the 4×100 relay team. Davis has also been a fixture on the international scene since her teenage years, capturing a bronze medal in the 100 meters at the 2017 World Under-18 Championships in Nairobi. Injuries hampered her progress the following year, but she returned to set personal bests in 2022 with a 10.95 in the 100 meters and 22.26 for 200 meters in Lubbock, Texas. In 2023, she reached the semifinals of the 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Now, Davis is attempting to rebuild her career at the highest level. Her return has been confirmed by Racers Track Club head coach Glen Mills, who told TelevisionJamaica, “We have a young miss who is trying to make a comeback, who is of quality.” After a moment of suspense, Mills identified her directly. “Kevona Davis is back here in Jamaica and she has joined with us.” He added that the process will require patience but believes she still possesses the potential to succeed. Mills stated, “I look at her and watch her in training, and I think she still has it, but it’s going to take some time. And if that works out, you never know what will happen.”

The move places Davis in one of the most storied sprinting environments in track and field. Mills guided Usain Bolt to his historic career, and more recently has overseen the rise of Oblique Seville, Jamaica’s 100-meter world champion who defeated the reigning Olympic gold medalist at the Tokyo Worlds. For Davis, joining Racers means stepping into a training group that has produced some of the most decorated sprinters of the last two decades.

Beyond her NCAA victories and age-group medals, Davis has shown she can contend at the international level. Her semifinal run in Budapest last year, along with her times in Lubbock, showcased her raw speed and testified to her ability to compete on the world stage. The challenge now is translating that ability into consistent performances against the best.

Coach Mills acknowledged that the process is ongoing, “We’re working on getting her weight down, which she has done a good job.” The progress is already visible in training. In that context, her comeback is more than an individual effort. It is a bid to join the lineage of athletes who have defined Jamaican sprinting for a generation. While Davis gears up for a return, Mills also guided another Nigerian star to victory, answering all doubts.

Tobi Amusan credits Glen Mills’ belief for her World Championships silver

Tobi Amusan’s silver medal in Tokyo carried a weight far greater than the shine of the medal itself. After a year of uncertainty and bold transition, she attributed her resurgence to the influence of Glen Mills, the Jamaican coach best remembered for guiding Usain Bolt. For Amusan, the decision to join Mills in Kingston had been both arduous and questioned by many. Yet, her return to the world podium allowed her to reflect openly on the trust and belief that shaped her comeback.

“The first two months was really tough obviously,” she admitted, acknowledging the difficulty of adapting to a system unfamiliar to her. What made the experience unusual was the collaboration between Mills and her former coach, Lacena Golding-Clarke, whom she left in 2024 after years of success. Amusan explained that the two worked jointly in her preparation. She described Mills with clarity, “He’s an amazing coach. He trusted me, he believed in me.” His guidance, as she continues to illustrate, has been precise.

By giving Glen Mills the flowers he rightly deserves, Amusan shutdown doubters who raised eyebrows on his ability to transition from coaching sprinters to working with a world-class hurdler. Her podium finish, secured with 12.29 seconds in the final, was more than a solitary triumph. It was a laurel in their partnership. “Alongside my coach Lacena, they worked hand in hand and this is for them,” she said, dedicating the outcome to the shared effort. In doing so, she marked her return to prominence along with giving public credit to the coach whose faith in her proved stood firm.