U.S. sprinter Jenna Prandini, who won the 100 meters at the '15 NCAA Outdoor Championships, "revealed Thursday she had signed with Puma and will turn professional," according to Ken Goe of the Portland OREGONIAN. Prandini in the process will "give up her senior season" at the Univ. of Oregon. According to a tweet by local organizing committee TrackTown USA, Prandini will "stay in school and continue to train in Eugene" (OREGONLIVE.com, 8/27). In Eugene, Gene Cherry notes Prandini's decision to go with Puma "had been expected after she began wearing the company's shoes in Beijing" for the '15 IAAF World Championships. Prandini: "It is definitely something my parents and I and coaches, friends and family have been talking about for a while and trying to figure out what the best thing for me would be, and we finally came to that decision." She is "expected to be represented by Ricky Simms," who also reps Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 8/28).
INTO THE SUNSET? SI.com noted Bolt during a post-race press conference Thursday "opened the door on the possibility of his retirement" after the '16 Rio Games. Bolt: "After Rio, my sponsors said let's go one more year. My coach said ‘Listen to me. If you're not going to be serious about going to the world championships in London, then you shouldn't do it.’ So it's all about how I feel after Rio and if I feel I can really put my body through one more season." Bolt's contract with Puma, reportedly worth $10M, "runs through" the '17 World Championships in London. He will be paid $4M per year upon his retirement "as a Puma ambassador" (SI.com, 8/27).
