‘Anything I get is a bonus’
Kerr happy with World Champs debut, praises coaching switch for recent success
Published:Thursday | September 18, 2025 | 12:12 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
HAVING DEBATED stepping away from the sport, Jamaican sprinter Adrian Kerr has praised his coaching switch as one of the major reasons behind his recent success, which sees him competing in his first-ever World Championship for Jamaica.
Kerr made his World Champs debut in the men’s 200-metre heats yesterday, where he raced to a time of 20.13 seconds to advance to the semi-finals.
With his first race now under his belt and a spot in the next round, Kerr said anything he achieves beyond this point will be a bonus in his career.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said.
“Anywhere I get from this point forward is just a bonus because I’ve basically started my season late, even though I’ve been running all season.”
Kerr explained he had switched camps four months ago, having made the decision to join up with the likes of Akeem Blake and Yohan Blake under the coaching guidance of retired Jamaican sprinter Michael Frater.
RISE TO PROMINENCE
This move, he said, has been the reason for his rise to prominence and making his first senior national team.
“I changed programmes about four months ago, so anything I get now is just a bonus and I’m really grateful for it,” Kerr said.
“I’ve been training with Michael Frater right now, alongside Akeem Blake, Yohan Blake, so it’s a big motivation for me.”
He continued, “The change in environment has been a plus for me. It has enabled me to keep pushing and training hard.”
His current situation came as a major surprise for Kerr, as he said he had been thinking about retiring from the sport.
Kerr rose to prominence as a junior athlete during his time representing Kingston College.
Injuries, however, had plagued his career and the speedster said not giving up has been a source of pride.
He also pointed to reigning 100m world champion Oblique Seville as proof to not give up, as he explained that Seville had pushed years of disappointments aside before finally claiming the grand prize.
“It shows me that you just can’t give up,” he said.
“You just can’t give up because it took Oblique [Seville] three years or four years, because you have to perfect your craft and come back again, and that’s literal proof that you should not give up in anything you do.”
With his eyes now set on the semi-finals, Kerr said he is hoping to dip below the 20-second barrier.