Canadian sprinter Sadé McCreath wants to meet lookalike Ottey

If pictures and videos did not exist and sprint legend Merlene Ottey wanted to have a visualisation of what she looked like when she was young, many would point her to Canadian joint 100m record holder Sade McCreath.

McCreath told STAR Sports she did not see it at first and was surprised at the comparison.

"I first heard it when I came back from the Olympics. A family friend kept saying I looked like her. To be honest, I didn't really see it at first, but once more people pointed it out, I understood the comparison. My reaction was honestly just surprise, but also appreciation," she said.

Thousands have since joined that family friend in telling McCreath of how remarkable her resemblance to Ottey is, as photos with the two side by side has gone viral recently.

"It's a huge compliment (to be compared to her) because Merlene Ottey is a legend in the sport. Her longevity, consistency, achievements and impact on track and field - are incredible. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as her is really special," she said.

The two are yet to meet, but McCreath is hoping that will happen soon.

"I haven't met her yet, but I would absolutely love to. I think it would be an amazing experience just to talk with her about her journey, her mindset, and everything she's accomplished," she said.

"I would really like to know how she was able to dominate for those years, and of course, it would be fun to hear her thoughts on the resemblance too," she said.

It is likely the conversation would go beyond that because McCreath also has Jamaican ties in Westmoreland, which is the neighbouring parish of Hanover where Ottey originated from.

"Both of my parents were born and raised in Westmoreland, Jamaica. I'm a first-generation Canadian, so my parents definitely instilled in me a strong sense of pride in my Jamaican culture and identity," the 29-year-old said.

"I grew up going to Jamaica almost every summer as a young girl. I always looked forward to spending time with my cousins and just enjoying life there - it's a place that has always felt like home to me. Now, I return once or twice a year to train with Swept Track Club under coach Okeile Stewart, which has made that connection even stronger," she said.

McCreath said Ottey and other Jamaican female sprinters have had a strong influence on her athletic career.

"Jamaican female sprinters have had such a huge impact on the sport. Athletes like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Sherone Simpson, and of course Merlene Ottey...Watching their success, confidence, their persistence and dominance on the world stage inspired me and showed me what was possible," she said.

McCreath has a number of accomplishments to her name as well, including 60m National Indoor champion for 2023 and 2026 and World 4x100m mixed relays gold medallist.

She hopes to improve on these performance for this and next season.

"Right now, my main focus is helping qualify our women's relay team for World Championships next year and defending our gold medal in the mixed 4x100. Individually, to continue improving, run faster times, and be competitive at the highest level," she said.

"I'm focused on staying consistent, healthy, and putting myself in the best position to perform when it matters most as I build for LA 28."