Elaine Thompson-Herah reflected on her gold medal victory in Tokyo today in the women’s 100 meter, saying, “I knew I had it in me, but obviously, I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries.”
“I’ve been injured so much. I’m grateful I could get back on the track, and get back out on the track this year to retain the title,” Thompson-Herah said following her win. “Now, I have one more to go.”
Thompson-Herah said she looks forward to competing in the 200 meter and 4x100m relay.
Earlier today: Thompson-Herah defended her women’s 100-meter title in Olympic record time of 10.61, breaking Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old mark set in Seoul.
Completing an all-Jamaican podium, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished second to claim silver in 10.74 and Shericka Jackson finished third in 10.76 — a personal best — to earn the bronze.
“I can’t just imagine if we didn’t have the pandemic what would be happening in Jamaica, just speaking about the legacy that we have back home, all the athletes, young and old, you are all inspired by something that happened tonight, we were just really excited that we were able to come and to have a wonderful show tonight,” Thompson-Herah said following the medal sweep.
Thompson-Herah is the fourth athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in the women’s 100 meter after Wyomia Tyus in 1964 and 1968 for the US, Gail Devers in 1992 and 1996 for the US and Fraser-Pryce in 2008 and 2012 for Jamaica.
This is the sixth straight Olympic Games that the gold medal-winning time was faster than in previous Games.
