Thompson-Herah ran an Olympic Record of 10.61 to retain her title and in the process, bettered Florence' Griffith-Joyner's (Flo-Jo) 33-year-old Olympic Record of 10.62 that she did in the quarterfinals of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Incidentally, Thompson-Herah's 10.61 was ran in a negative wind of -0.3 m/s. Flo-Jo’s 10.62 was done with a positive wind or tailwind of 1.2m/s. This underscores just how awesome Thompson-Herah's record run was. It is quite conceivable that had Thompson-Herah had a 1.2 m/s tailwind and with an improved start, she would have broken Flo-Jo’s dubious 10.49 World Record.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce time of 10.74s in the 100m in Tokyo was the fastest time she has ever ran at the Olympic Games since debuting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2008 at age 21 years, Fraser-Pryce ran 10.78, to win gold. At London 2012 at age 25 years, she ran 10.75 to win gold. At Rio 2016 at age 29 years, she ran 10.86 for bronze. At Tokyo 2020 at age 34 years, she ran 10.74s, but could only manage second to compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Thompson-Herah the fastest ever
We must understand the following:
1. Elaine Thompson-Herah was the first woman in twenty-eight years to win the sprint double after Florence Griffith-Joyner. She has now broken Florence Griffith-Joyner's Olympic Record that stood for 33 years.
2. Thompson-Herah has the two fastest times in an actual 100m Olympic final or any global final for that matter; these are 10.61s and 10.71s, which she ran at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
History beckons
The writing was long on the wall for all to see. But for reasons best known to some, they preferred to look the other way and not see the obvious and abundant truth. For me, Thompson-Herah's victory and Olympic Record were not debatable. They were not in doubt. Once she is fit and healthy, she cannot be beaten. Irrespective of what so-called experts said, I knew all along that Thompson-Herah would prevail in style. History beckoned! And all had to reckon.
Interestingly, there is one stark similarity between Florence Griffith-Joyner and Elaine Thompson-Herah: both set the Olympic Record at the approximate age of 29 years, Elaine at 29 years and 1 month while Griffith-Joyner at 28 years and 8 months. There is no doubt in my mind that Thompson-Herah is the GOAT at global sprinting.
And when she won the 200m in World Record time (21.30), she differentiated herself from all other females as being the only one to win the Olympic double-double (100m, 200m), back-to-back. Long live Elaine Sandra-Lee Thompson-Herah!
Henley Taylor, Freelance Sports Writer
Edited by Raymond Byfield
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