Top jumps coach Kerrylee Ricketts, said in an exclusive interview with Our Today, that he is humbled, but not surprised, by the decision of the 2019 long jump World Champion Tajay Gayle to choose him to take his career to the next step.

Gayle, now 28 years old, in a shocking move, has walked away from the MVP club that took him from obscurity to the top of the world, being the first Jamaican to win a World Championship gold in the long jump.

MVP coach, Paul Francis told Our Today that the club wishes Gayle the best. “We do wish Tajay the very best in his future endeavours. Genuinely wish him success. He is a good person and a great athlete,” said Francis.

The reason Gayle—the national long jump record holder—packed his bags and moved to Ricketts Performance Centre has not been revealed. However, Kerrylee Ricketts, who led his wife Shanieka Ricketts to the triple jump silver medal—the same time Gayle struck gold in Doha in 2019—welcomed the star to his growing list of athletes.

“You know, it’s a great feeling and it’s an honour and I’m actually humbled by this, to have Tajay here—a world champion,” Ricketts noted. “I mean, a national record holder for Jamaica to basically have me as his first choice to guide his career after his departure from MVP, so, it humbles me and I feel honoured.”

Ricketts who also led his wife to triple jump silver at the 2024 Olympic Games and gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, will be honoured on November 15, 2024, as part of the annual National Coaches Day. The awards recognize long-standing service and contributions to the development of Jamaican athletics, with categories acknowledging coaches’ years of dedication and impact on the sport.

Ricketts said: “However, I’m not surprised. I mean, Tajay has been, you know, paying attention. Over the years, I’ve been one of Jamaica’s most outstanding coaches and probably one of the most successful jumps coaches not just at the senior level but at the junior—and I’ve been consistent. When I think of my work over the decades at St Elizabeth Technical, at Manchester High School and at UWI. I’ve developed jumpers, you know, at senior levels, some not for Jamaica.

“When I think of Emmanuel Archibald, who I have coached to eight metres at the Olympics and World Championships for Guyana, somebody who basically came to Jamaica as a basketball. I have revived Tissanna Hicklin’s career, giving her a PB 6.86m as well as Shanika and several others. I have paid my dues. A lot of my work has gone overlooked, but it’s fine. What matters to me is that athletes are now starting to see me as a viable choice and that’s what’s important here,” he added.

Gayle who won the 2024 Diamond League title, might be overshadowed by fellow Jamaicans Wayne Pinnock and Carey McLeod of late but he remains the best jumper in terms of record as his 8.69m mark done five years ago, is the best by a Jamaican and 10^th on the all-time list.

“I will do everything, the best as I can to continue and develop jumps in Jamaica and to continue also to put my best foot forward in contributing to Tajay’s development and hopefully have him back at his best again,” said Ricketts.