Thompson-Herah thwarts old rival as Jamaicans dominate to sweep 100m
As a delirious Elaine Thompson-Herah lay on the track looking up at the twinkling lights of Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce stood with her hands on her hips staring at the big screen, waiting to find out whether she had won silver or bronze.
It was silver, in a Jamaican one-two-three with Shericka Jackson taking bronze, but it was little consolation. Fraser-Pryce came here to wrestle back the 100m Olympic crown she had won in Beijing and London. Instead her teammate and long-time rival Thompson-Herah defended her Rio title emphatically with an Olympic record 10.61sec, the second fastest time in history.
That feat was almost more astounding than the gold medal. Florence Griffith Joyner’s time of 10.62 had stood since the Seoul Games in 1988, but it always looked in danger this week as a rapid set of heats and semi-finals hinted at a thrilling final to come. And how it delivered.
The two were drawn next to each other in lanes three and four. When Fraser-Pryce came out of her drive phase she had the lead and it all seemed to be going to form. The 34-year-old’s career is enjoying an autumn bloom and her world lead time this season of 10.63, combined with victory over Thompson-Herah in the Jamaican trials, made her the favourite coming to the Games.
But once Thompson-Herah lifted her head and opened her stride, she pulled level. She possess a springy style which looks almost like she’s jumping down the track, and the 29-year-old’s younger legs bounced into the distance in the final 30m as Fraser-Pryce began to tense.
The gap was enough that even before she’d crossed the line Thompson-Herah was pointing to the Jamaican team’s contingent in the stands and letting out a howl. Then she was screaming, jumping, clutching her forehead in disbelief, perhaps more at the time than the victory – she has been here before of course. It was all too much, and she collapsed in a heap.
Jackson was delighted with her bronze medal in a personal best 10.76, behind Fraser-Pryce’s 10.74 to complete the Jamaican sweep. Britain’s Daryll Neita finished eighth in 11.12, after Dina