The current landscape of track and field in the United States is thriving, with stars like Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and Sha’Carri Richardson leading the charge on the global stage. Fans have every reason to be optimistic, as recent performances have translated hope into tangible success. In 2023, Noah Lyles completed a remarkable three-peat at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The momentum continued into the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he made history by becoming the first American since 2004 to win gold in the men’s 100m. Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson disrupted Jamaica’s long-standing dominance in the women’s 100m at the World Championships and later contributed to Team USA’s victory in the 4x100m relay in Paris. However, not everything is perfect, and there are concerns surrounding a certain athlete who holds an Olympic silver medal.
Ten months ago at the Paris Olympics, Daniel Roberts earned a silver medal in the men’s 110m hurdles, finishing behind Grant Holloway. But since then, his circumstances have taken a drastic turn. According to Roberts, he’s been relying solely on his prize money for the past six months. He also no longer has the support of his former sponsor, Nike. Explaining the situation in a social media post, the 27-year-old pointed out, “Being at the top does play a part in that but if your at the top but not much of a following and they don’t see you as marketable, those results will not mean nearly as much.” In response, a track and field coach offered his own perspective on the issue.
On June 22, Coach Rob addressed the issue in detail during a YouTube podcast. He explained, “Nothing actually happened to Daniel Roberts between winning the 110 hurdles silver medal at the Olympic Games, again the pinnacle of the sport and the moment where we find out he’s not running for Nike or at least he finds out first and then, you know, has to go out there and compete. He’s been living like going off, you know, prize money earnings, winnings, like that’s how he’s been doing it since they dropped him.” Coach Rob also mentioned that he suspected something was off when he saw Roberts competing in the Grand Slam Track league—he was still wearing his old Nike gear. That shouldn’t have been the case for an Olympic medalist.
Credit: Instagram/ Daniel Roberts
The report is developing…
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