The Olympic Stadium, Tokyo Elaine Thompson-Herah set a new Olympic record of 10.61 seconds as she won the women’s 100-meter gold in Tokyo on Saturday.
It was a Jamaican clean sweep on the podium with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in second and Shericka Jackson taking the bronze.
Thompson-Herah, who defends the title she won in Rio five years ago, narrowly improves on Florence Griffith Joyner’s previous Olympic record of 10.62 from 1988.
The victory was the 29-year-old’s third Olympic gold medal, adding to her 100m and 200m titles in Rio five years ago and emulating compatriot Fraser-Pryce’s feat from 2008 and 2012 of successfully defending the 100m title.
With fans kept away from Olympic events in Tokyo amid the pandemic, the final was held in the near-empty surroundings of the 68,000-seat Olympic Stadium.
As athletes were introduced ahead of the race, the stadium lights were turned off and the track was illuminated with the names of each competitor — a dazzling start to a race that, given the fast times produced in the heats and semifinals, promised great drama.
It duly delivered as Thompson-Herah went neck-and-neck with Fraser-Pryce at the halfway point before pulling away in the final stages.
Defending world champion Fraser-Pryce — who clocked 10.74 — now has two golds, a silver, and a bronze in the 100m across four Olympic Games, while Jackson — third in 10.76 — adds to her 4x400m silver and 400m bronze from Rio.
More to follow
