Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah set a new Olympic record for the women’s 100 meters event.
The Jamaican sprinter broke the previous 33-year-old Olympic record of 10.62, set by cultural icon Florence “Flo-Jo’ Griffith Joyner. Flo-Jo set the long standing record at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Her new time of 10.62 seconds is the second fastest time in history, behind Flo-Jo. Flo-Jo’s fastest time in history is 10.49 seconds set at the Olympic trails in 1988.
The victory gives Thompson-Herah her third Olympic gold medal. In Rio, the 29-year-old took home 2 gold metals for both the 100m and 200m events.
“Behind this 10.6 was a lot of nerves, and I said ‘You can do this, you’ve been here before, just execute,” Thompson-Herat told reporters following the race. “I have more years. I’m just 29; I’m not 30, I’m not 40, I’m still working.”
Jamaica swept the women’s 100m at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic. Elaine Thompson-Herah led the sweep by taking the gold. Her teammates joined her on the podium, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce takes the Silver and Shericka Jackson with the bronze.
