What a start to the 2025 season for Melissa Jefferson! Her first race was in Kingston, Jamaica, and she nailed it perfectly, sprinting into 1st place in the 100m dash of the inaugural Grand Slam Track. However, the $100,000 prize isn’t hers yet! 1 more race, a 200-meter run for the cash prize. But she will be ready. After all, the Paris Olympics medalist has a world champion mentoring her. And his coaching reputation is validated by the number of world champions he has coached. Who are we talking about? Let’s find out, then!

Meet Dennis Mitchell: Melissa Jefferson’s coach

Before Dennis Mitchell took the responsibility of nurturing athletes to have a successful and fulfilling track and field career, the North Carolina native was himself running on the tracks, setting world record times, and making history. His story started on February 20, 1966, in the city of Havelock, home to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. In fact, his father, Edward, was a Marine Corps drill sergeant.

But when did Mitchell’s track journey start? About the time he moved to New Jersey and joined the Willingboro Track Club along with his twin sister, Denise. Graduating from Edgewood Regional High School, Mitchell got an athletic scholarship offer to attend the University of Florida (UF). Graduating in 1989, he would then run as a professional runner, building on his talent as a sprinter. But his success wasn’t just talent — it was built through relentless hard work.

Mike Holloway, Dennis’ coach, shared with The Gainesville Sun in August 2010, “Dennis Mitchell is the greatest competitor I’ve ever coached and the hardest worker I’ve ever coached and nobody that I’ve ever been around brings the same passion to competition as Dennis Mitchell.” No wonder he became a multiple-time Olympics medalist, but more about that later. After hanging up his boots, Dennis Mitchell has had an accomplished coaching career, setting up his own club, Star Athletics, in Montverde, Florida.

Track and field is intrinsically intertwined in his life. And that connection deepened further when he married Damu Cherry-Mitchell, an Olympian in the 100-meter hurdles. Incidentally, Dennis Mitchell was her coach, too. Together, they have 4 children: Imani Anise, Malachi Edward, Micah Thomas, and Aaleyah Hassie.

His passion for track and field has carried him through the sport’s highest moments, and being a coach, he has helped others become better athletes, too. That may be the greatest legacy he leaves behind.

Dennis Mitchell’s career highlights and achievements

What would Dennis Mitchell be remembered as? Dennis Mitchell, the sprinter, or the coach? His numbers as a runner showcase clearly what an athlete he was. A 12-time All-American honors at UF was just the start. Taking it forward, he won 3 bronze medals in the 100m in global competitions (2 in World Athletics Championships and 1 in the 1992 Olympics). But the North Carolina native’s specialty was the 4x100m relay.

In the 1991 World Championships, he ran a world record 37.50 to clinch the 4x100m relay gold. Then, in the 1992 Olympics, he brought the time down to 37.40 to clinch his first gold in the Olympics. In 1993, showcasing their authority on the event, Team USA would match their own world record of 37.40 in the World Athletics Championships. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he would get a silver medal in the 4x100m relay event.

Besides this, he has also been a 4-time US Outdoor Champion in the 100m, while also being the 1994 Goodwill Games 100m champion and a 3-time Grand Prix Final Winner. A stellar career, laden with medals, right? But his coaching accolades hold up just fine. His expertise as a relay champion saw him become the head relay coach for the US relay teams during the 2014-2016 period.

That meant he was in charge during the 2014 and 2015 IAAF World Relays, and he also led the US contingent at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Under his guidance, the US men’s relay team would win the 4x400m relay gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Before that, he had helped the USA team in getting 2 golds (women’s 4×100 and 4×400) and 1 silver (4×400) in the London Olympics.

The highest recognition of his coaching acumen came in 2023 when he was named the USATF Nike Coach of the Year. His personalized training methods and ability as a leader to inspire his students saw them bring home 4 medals from the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Last but not least, as the president of Star Athletics International, his track and field training club, Dennis Mitchell has been grooming world champions and Olympic stars for a long time. Some names you’ll recognize — and others may surprise you.

Who else has Dennis Mitchell coached besides Melissa Jefferson?

One of the biggest names that has been coached by the relay expert is Sha’Caari Richardson. In fact, her breakout performance in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest went a long way in helping Mitchell become the Nike Coach of the Year. 2 golds and 1 bronze was Richardson’s own tally in the championships. Another student of his, Twanisha Terry, added another gold, that too from his favorite 4x100m relay event. We should mention that Richardson was also a part of the winning 4×100 relay team.

Besides them and, of course, Melissa Jefferson, Coach Mitchell has been the guiding pillar behind Kenny Bednarek’s steady rise. Incidentally, Bednarek has already become a Grand Slam Track (GST) Champion and will be taking home one of the first $100000 prize money from GST. The 26-year-old also holds 2 Olympic silver medals, one each from the Tokyo and Paris Olympics 200m events.

But did you know that Justin Gatlin had Dennis Mitchell as his coach? Mitchell was in Gatlin’s corner when he won a crucial gold medal over Usain Bolt in the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London. Gatlin had been a rigorous trainer under Mitchell. And the latter’s influence was instrumental in Gatlin having a stellar 2012 season, when he would win an Olympics bronze in the 100m and the World Indoor title in the 60m.

Will Melissa Jefferson join Bednarek as a GST Champion? We’ll find out soon.