Photo credit, Hannah McKay/Reuters
A 33-year-old Olympic record fell when Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah sprinted through the finish line in a time of 10.61 at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on Saturday night.
Thompson-Herah, the favorite to win the 100-meter dash, took gold while helping the Jamaicans sweep the medals in the event. It marked her second consecutive victory in the race dating back to the 2016 Olympics.
The previous record of 10.62, held by Griffith Joyner, stood for over three decades.
Shelly-Ann Frazer-Pryce took silver in 10.74, and Shericka Jackson finished in 10.76, grabbing the bronze medal to round out the sweep.
The potential of the record-shattering day showed signs in the prelims when several sprinters posted times under 11.00 flat. The race featured one of the deepest talent pools in Olympic history.
In the semifinals, Thompson-Herah posted 10.76, setting the tone for her evening victory. She now holds the second-fastest time behind Griffith-Joyner’s world record time of 10.49.
America’s best chance for a medal never materialized after Sha’Carri Richardson tested positive for marijuana after winning the United States Olympic trials in June with a mark of 10.72.
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