Jamaican sprint star Merlene Ottey is to decide on her athletics future by April, her Slovenian coach Sjorjan Djordajovic said today.
He said the two-time world 200m champion was on holiday in Florida and would decide within the next three months whether she will continue running.
"If she can do 11 seconds or less (over 100 metres) then she can continue running. If she cannot do below 11 seconds then she should retire," he said. "She has an injury now, as she recently (had an operation on) her hamstring in mid-October," Djordajovic said.
"She is expected back in Slovenia in the second week of January and at that time we will work out a training schedule," he said.
Ottey, 41, is applying for Slovenian citizenship, but is expected to retain her Jamaican citizenship, as well as the diplomatic passport that the Jamaican government gave her.
Ottey has lived in Slovenia for three years and while her manager Dan Zimmerman said the sprinter was pursuing dual citizenship merely for convenience and ease of travel, Djordajovic appeared uncertain about Ottey's allegiance.