Elaine Thompson-Herah Runs Second Fastest 100m in History; Claims Dominant Victory as Jamaica Sweep Podium at Diamond League
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Elaine Thompson
Drama ensued on the track of the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in the women’s 100m finals on Saturday. 9 of the best women entered the race, and it was one of the most anticipated finals. Youngster Sha’carri Richardson all set to make her comeback, and she would be up against all the podium winners from the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.
The race was pure Jamaican dominance right from the beginning, as Elaine Thompson went on to not only win the race but also create history as well. She surged few metres ahead of everyone on the track and finished the race with a blistering time of 10.54s. It was not only a personal best, but also the second fastest time in the history of the women’s 100m, as Thompson inches closer to breaking Flo Jo’s 100m world record of 10.49s.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished in second place, running 10.73s, while her teammate Sherika Jackson took third place with 10.76s. The winners were a repeat of the podium at the Tokyo Olympics.
“To come back with a PB after the championships, that is amazing. It means a lot to me, because my job is to inspire a generation. I have more races so I don’t get too excited, too carried away. I have to continue doing the job,” said Thompson in a post race interview.
Sha’Carri Richardson Faces Disappointment as she Finishes in Ninth Place; Gets Romped by Elaine Thompson to the Finish Line
Sha’Carri Richardson was ready to make a strong comeback in the Diamond League, after she got suspended for one month, for smoking weed. This meant that she would miss out on the Olympics, a disappointment for the youngster.
The 21-year-old took to the fifth lane in the finals of the 100m, and was ready to give competition to the Jamaican women. Unfortunately it was not meant to be, as Sha’Carri could not keep up with the pace of the other finalists. She finished in a disappointing last place, with a time of 11.14s.
Sha’Carri was defiant despite the underwhelming result, and in a track side interview with NBC she said, “It was a great return back to the sport. I wanted to be able to come and perform. Having the month of, dealing with what I had to deal with, I’m not upset with myself at all. This is one race. I’m not done. Count me out if you want to, talk shit if you want, because I’m here to stay.”
Richardson later withdrew from the women’s 200m final, which would go on to be won by Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji.
Also read: Tokyo Olympics: Elaine Thompson to Allyson Felix, Who has the most medals in athletics?
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Saivee Phatak
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