Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist LaShawn Merritt Leads Sprint Clinic at Gila Ridge

LaShawn Merritt coached high school track and field athletes at Gila Ridge High School Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, delivering hands-on instruction in sprint technique and starts during a session organized by Breakthrough Global. KAWC described the event as a sprint masterclass and published a photo caption noting Merritt "gives advice to Yuma high school track athletes" during the clinic.

KYMA identified the session by its branded name, saying Merritt "came to Yuma over the weekend for his 'Sprint to Success' clinic teaching youth athletes proper running technique and mechanics, along with the principles of the 'Merritt Mentality.'" The local coverage placed the clinic alongside other community sports items while singling out the technical focus for youth athletes.

Merritt framed the visit as part of a broader mission to mentor young people. KAWC quoted him: "I feel like I have a heart space and a mission right now to pass it on to the next generation from the things I learned in the sport to the things I learned in life to any gem or pearl they can string along." That statement echoed Granite Bay Today reporting that Merritt emphasizes a set of core values he calls the Merritt Mindset.

Granite Bay Today provided specific coach-to-coach detail about the instruction athletes received. Coach Drew Nelson, who has worked with Merritt in the Sacramento area, said, "I would describe Coach LaShawn as a motivator. Embracing the sport of track and field. He’s been in track and field for over 17 years, so I’d describe him as a leader, as a patient man with youth sports, you got to have patience, you got to have leadership, you got to have encouragement." Nelson added technical observations: "What I learned from Coach LaShawn, is technical work. Breaking down each part of the race, by the science, by the mechanics, from the start to the middle of the race to the ending of the race, especially for short sprints." He also described the clinic's emphasis on starts and early sprint phases: "The better start, starting on the blocks, coming out the blocks. For the kids, the dry phase, learning steps behind it."

Merritt brought both Olympic pedigree and a community coaching profile to Yuma. KAWC listed his Olympic gold medals: gold in the 400 meters and the 4x400 relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and gold in the 4x400 relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Granite Bay Today described his transition into coaching, inspirational speaking and global camps and noted that he has settled in Granite Bay while working with youth athletes and local coaches.

Local media coverage included KAWC, KYMA and a headline mention by CBS13 Sports. KAWC said it plans to follow up with on-site interviews with high school athletes who participated. Social media provided additional color: an Instagram photo by Merritt from Yuma tagged @ericlglongoria and @yumaathletes and contained a truncated caption referencing a toe injury and training, though the full caption was not available in the supplied materials.

Merritt’s visit to Gila Ridge was both a technical clinic and an extension of his stated mission to pass knowledge and values on to the next generation, a mission he has pursued through coaching at Granite Bay, global camps and speaking engagements while partnering with organizations such as Breakthrough Global.