Overcome with joy, sprinter sets record
She could have been even faster
TOKYO — As she approached finish line, and it was clear to Elaine Thompson-Herah that she would win her second consecutive gold medal in the women’s 100 meters, the Jamaican sprinter glancedtoward the infield and pointed to a camera. She started to scream, because adrenaline had overtaken her body. When she finally crossed the line, the massive video board above her at an empty National Stadium flashed her time with a stunning punctuation: 10.61. Olympicrecord.
Thompson-Herah collapsed on her back and nearly started to cry on the red track, both because she had just run the second-fastest time in the event’s history — she broke the 33-year-old Olympic record of Florence Griffith Joyner, who still owns the world record at 10.49 — and because of the crucible she enduredto do it.
“This 10.6, it takes a lot,” she said. “I think I celebrated early,too much.”
She was competing against the deepest, fastest field in the event’s history after dealing with a lingering Achilles’ injury this year — and she was doing it in a Tokyo head wind on Saturday night. After being asked all week about the absence of Sha’Carri Richardson, the American sensation who was ruled out of the Games after testing positive for marijuana, ThompsonHerah shrugged aside that distraction to join Griffith Joyner, widely considered the best sprinter ever, in the
record books. She did so by holding off two countrywomen: Shelly-Ann FraserPryce, who won silver in 10.74,and Shericka Jackson, who took bronze in 10.76 to give Jamaica a medal sweep.
The only thing Thompson-Herah questioned after her historic performance is what might have happened hadshe not celebrated early, and instead run full-bore through the line. That she pulledup made her Olympic record all the more remarkable, but could she have challenged Griffith Joyner’s world record had she not doneso?
“Most definitely, if I wasn’t celebrating,” she said, before being asked if sheregretted doing it.
“No, no, no,” she said. “Patience.Time.”
In time, the 29-year-old Thompson-Herah could surely join the conversation as one of the best sprinters in her sport’s history. Saturday night, she and her teammates cemented a new dynasty in sprinting’s postUsain Bolt era. Only Bolt has won three gold medals in the 100 meters. FraserPryce was trying to join him — she won gold in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012 before taking bronze behind Thompson-Herah in Rio — and it looked as though she just might do so, taking the leadinto the final 30 meters.
But Thompson-Herah found another gear and left her and Jackson behind, as well as Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the Ivory Coast sprinter who finished fourth for the second consecutive Olympics. She was crying as she left the stadium, as the Jamaican sprinters celebrated in front of a small delegation ina corner of the stadium.
Bolt’sdeparture left a vacuum for track and field at the Olympics. ThompsonHerah, who could equal Bolt’s accomplishment should she win the 100 meters in Paris in 2024, helped fillit on Saturday night.
“The legacy we have in Jamaica is incredible,” said Fraser-Pryce, who had a stumbleon her third step before recovering for silver. She expected her country to be reveling in the sweep. “I’mhoping they’re not defying the curfew ... but I’m sure it’s going to be remarkable.To be able to have three of our ladies standing on the podium, like we had in 2008, I’m hoping they’re celebrating.”
Fraser-Pryce had dealt with a lingering toe injury before the 2016 Games, watching ThompsonHerah,her training partner, solidify herself in international races and then win gold in Rio. Fraser-Pryce settled for bronze, and the following year, announced she was pregnant. After she gave birth to her son by emergency C-section, some wondered if her career was over.
But Fraser-Pryce quickly returned to training, and has said that motherhood gaveher new perspective on her career. She continued to chaseThompson-Herah and other sprinting stalwarts, including Dina AsherSmith and Ta Lou, and finally broke through in 2019 when she won her fourth world title with a time of 10.71, at age 32. ThompsonHerah reclaimed the mantle on Saturday, even though six weeks ago she didn’t know if she would be able to compete because of the Achilles’injury.
“Youcould see the results at the [Jamaica] trials. I camein third in both events. I wasn’t healthy. I was there just to qualify ,” ThompsonHer ah said.
She looked at full strength for Saturday’s final, which some believed servedas the marquee event of the entire track and field competition on just the secondnight of the meet.
There were glimpses of just how good the group of sprinters could be on the first night of qualifying heats, which saw seven runners hit their personal bests — Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Ta Lou produced the fifth-, sixthand seventh-fastest times of the year. There were decorated veterans and up-andcomers who had produced brilliant seasons dotting the start lists. They included 24year-old American Teahna Daniels, who finished seventh, and the 25-year-old Asher-Smith,who lost in the semifinals and pulled out of the 200 meters with a hamstringinjury.
“They are a different level. I’m a track fan,” said Great Britain sprinter Asha Phillip, who did not qualify after fading in the semifinals. “The girls are setting the standard for the competition ahead. I knew this is gonna be a fire, fire 100meter [finals]. Forget the boys, honestly.”
Philip said she was going to find a good seat to view the final, and when it finally arrived, the nearly-empty stadium went fully silent. A helicopter buzzed overhead. Thompson-Herah heard the gun go off and found herself flanked by her teammates before pulling away. Only one woman had ever run faster.
“I have never run this fast. It hasn’t really soaked in yet,” she said, before pondering if she can get the worldrecord next.
“Anything is possible,” shesaid.