July 15, 2022, was the day every headline screamed the same thing: “Fastest Woman Alive Elaine Thompson-Herah signs with Puma.” But can we blame them? After all, it wasn’t even shocking. At that point, she was untouchable on the track. Just a year earlier, she dropped 10.54 in the 100m, the fastest wind-legal time any woman had run since Flo-Jo back in ’88. Add to that her back-to-back Olympic golds in both the 100m and 200m from Rio and Tokyo, and yeah, Puma locking her in felt like a no-brainer. But fast forward to 2025, and things have shifted.

Elaine Thompson-Herah is still in the game at 32—still famous, still grinding, but the shine from sponsors, especially Puma, doesn’t seem as bright as it once did. Now you’re probably wondering what happened, right? Well, recently, on April 15th, Citius Mag shared a post on X featuring pole vault Olympic champion Nina Kennedy rocking a bright yellow one-piece bodysuit. The bodysuit had a sleeveless design, a round neckline, and a black Puma logo on the chest. But where’s Elaine? Why is she not there as well?

What’s the story behind it? Well, nothing complicated. Just that Puma unveiled this new kit for the champions of the 2024 Paris Olympics. But now here comes the twist: it seems that athletes like Thompson-Herah and other Puma stars like Shericka Jackson will be left out of these new jerseys since they missed out on the Paris Games. Why? The reason is pretty clear. These exclusive jerseys are meant for the Olympic champions of Paris 2024, but Elaine Thompson-Herah’s absence means she won’t be donning one.

She was set to defend her titles in the 100m and 200m, but her Olympic dreams were dashed due to an Achilles tendon injury. This setback occurred during the New York Grand Prix in early June 2024, her final race before the Jamaican Olympic Trials. Thompson-Herah crossed the finish line in 11.48 seconds, far off her personal best of 10.54 seconds, and it was immediately clear that something was wrong. Limping off the track in pain, she soon learned the worst: a small tear in her Achilles tendon.

This injury, although not career-ending, was enough to rule her out of the Jamaican Olympic Trials, and with that, her hopes of competing in Paris were gone. While Puma still stands behind her, the new kits designed for the Paris Games would be reserved for athletes who made it to the Olympics, and unfortunately, Elaine Thompson-Herah wouldn’t be one of them. But then, the question remains—why didn’t Shericka Jackson get one of those jerseys either?

Injury knocked Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah out, but Puma’s loyalty never missed a beat

As for Shericka Jackson, the situation was similar. The world champion in the 200m was expected to dominate both the 100m and 200m events in Paris. But like Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jackson faced a setback that would prevent her from competing in her signature events. In the months leading up to the Olympics, Jackson struggled with a persistent hamstring injury that significantly slowed her down.

Despite her previous dominance, this injury left her unable to perform at the level she was accustomed to, and ultimately, she too would miss out on the Paris 2024 Games. But even in the face of these challenges, Puma has remained firmly by their side. You remember the gifts, right? Speaking of Puma, let’s rewind to July 2022. Puma signed the legendary Elaine Thompson-Herah to a big sponsorship deal.

Through their partnership, Puma provided Thompson-Herah with their, at that time, new performance gear, which included the evoSPEED NITRO spikes designed to assist her record-breaking achievements. And it doesn’t stop there for Shericka Jackson. The Puma wave continues for Shericka Jackson even after she missed Paris. She made a big splash at the Fenty x Puma Collection launch in Barbados in March 2025.

Now, if you know fashion, you must know it was hosted by none other than the queen of Barbados, Rihanna. So, yeah, it was a major event, and Jackson’s presence only reinforced her connection with the brand. So, while injuries may have sidelined both her and Elaine Thompson-Herah from Paris, Puma’s still very much in their corner. And they will be supporting their journeys every step of the way.