The race was advertised as one that any star could win.
As long as the name of that person was Elaine.
Elaine Thompson-Herah defeated a well-prepared field in Tuesday’s 200m race. In 21.53 seconds, Usain Bolt’s latest sprinter from Jamaica won her second consecutive Olympic sprint sweep. This was the second fastest time ever recorded in Olympic history.
Thompson-Herah said, “It means much to me to be a part of that history, that work-hard-book.” She spent most of 2021 in pain from an Achilles injury, and wasn’t in top form until she reached Japan.
It was the second consecutive night that Thompson-Herah won a sprint. She also recorded a time that was less than the 33-year-old world record held by Florence Griffith Joyner. 21.34 is the 200 record.
In the 100 meters, Thompson-Herah started pointing at the clock a few steps before the finish line and finished in 10.61, which was good for the Olympic record but not Flo Jo’s overall mark of 10.49.
Thompson-Herah ran hard in the 200 and held her tongue out while pushing her chest forward at line. There were no questions about what might have happened if Thompson-Herah had stayed on the track.
Both finishes were awarded gold medals. Thompson-Herah will now have at least four gold medals when she returns to Jamaica. If she participates in the women’s 4×100-meter relay, there is a possibility of a fifth.
The 29-year old, who was born in Banana Ground, on the south side of the island, said, “By the Olympic Finish, I’ll likely see what I have done.” “At the moment, I’m just an ordinary girl.”
She topped surprise second-place finisher Christine Mboma of Namibia by .48, while American Gabby Thomas took bronze.
This was a very accomplished field of finalists. It was as defined by those who didn’t place on the podium as it was by those who did.
Shelly-Ann Fraser -Pryce beat Thompson-Herah at both distances during Jamaica’s national championships to finish fourth and barely missed out on her eighth Olympic gold medal.
Shaune Miller-Uibo, who was focused on the 200 meters after winning gold at Rio’s 400m in Rio, finished last after suffering a twinge in her left hamstring.
Thomas, a Harvard neurobiology graduate, ran 21.61 at the Olympic trials, which made her the second-fastest female athlete in history. It changed her perceptions about Tokyo. She was able to win the bronze medal by just 0.07 seconds.
Thomas stated, “It feels incredible because I really worked hard for that one.” “Those last 30 meters were a battle I fought tooth-and-nine.”
Thompson-Herah draws comparisons to Bolt but she also joins Veronica Campbell-Brown from Jamaica as the third champion in the 200.
Thompson-Herah’s win is no surprise. Mboma’s second place finish was an unexpected feat that will help bring one of the most difficult issues in sports back to the forefront.
Mboma switched to the 200 after she was barred from the 400, her favourite event. World Athletics conducted tests and found that she and sixth-place finisher Beatrice Maslingi had high levels of natural testosterone. This meant they were subject to the same rules as Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic champion from South Africa, in the 800m.
Mboma, who was stunned to cross the finish line, broke the world record for under-20s three times in a row during the final.
She said, “I came here to experience it.” “Now, I did better.”
Marie-Josee Ta Lou, from the Ivory Coast, was another contender. Last week, she opened the sprints with a stunning 10.78 in the 100-meter heats. This was the first indication that Tokyo could be very fast.
It is, especially when Thompson Herah is on it.
She’s not the only one.
Her victory came several hours after Norway’s Karsten Warholm obliterated his world record by .76 seconds, finishing the 400-meter hurdles in 45.94.
Armand Duplantis, from Sweden, won pole vault. However, he hadn’t missed the mark so he had three chances to break the 6.19m world record. It was too difficult for him to clear, so he settled for a gold medal with a leap of 6.02.
Malaika Mihambo won the women’s long-jump title. She jumped 7m flat her last attempt to beat Brittney Reynolds in America.
The U.S. was forced to wait for the second gold medal of this meet. Athing Mu won the 800m. The track announcer spit on her in her preliminary heat. For Wednesday’s Mu’s medal ceremony, she’ll need to get her skills up. It’s pronounced “uhTHING moh”.
Gwen Berry is not on the podium. The outspoken American hammer thrower finished 11th in the final that went to Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland, who took gold for the third straight Olympics.
Berry was sad to say goodbye, but Allyson Felix said hello to the Olympic track. She won her 400-meter heat easily and was on the first step of what could be a women’s record: 10 Olympic medals.
American Noah Lyles also said hello, but it wasn’t all that great.
After building a lead of 200 meters in the semifinals, he switched to cruise control and saw Aaron Brown from Canada and Joseph Fahnbulleh from Liberia rushing it to the line to beat him in a photo finish.
Lyles had to wait for a while before he could find out if he would be awarded one of the wild-card spots in final. Lyles’ 19.99 second run was impressive enough and he insists that nothing was wrong.
“No. Lyles stated, “No.
He will not be able to cruise control as he arrives Wednesday night in a field which includes American Erriyon Kennedyon (17 years old) and Andre DeGrasse (17 years old). Knighton played to the cameras when he qualified and then ran his hands across his nametag.
He might soon be known by the whole world.
The women’s champion at 200m doesn’t need an introduction.
Thompson-Herah stated, “It means much to me because it’s been through a lot.” “Even though it doesn’t have to be my story, this tells mine.”
