Elaine Thompson-Herah of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women’s 200m Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Thompson-Herah is the undisputed sprinting queen becoming the first woman to win the 100-200m double gold at consecutive Olympics.
Elaine Thompson-Herah was in a class of her own, winning the 200m Olympic gold medal in a time of 21.53 seconds, with Namibian Christine Mboma taking silver. Gabby Thomas of the U.S. rounded off the podium in third place.
Elaine Thompson-Herah does it again! It is the double-double for the #JAM sprint queen in 21.53!#Gold women’s 200m Tokyo 2020#Gold women’s 100m Tokyo 2020#Gold women’s 200m Rio 2016#Gold women’s 100m Rio 2016@WorldAthletics | #StrongerTogether | #Tokyo2020 | #Athletics pic.twitter.com/AENA2JzT1X
— Olympics (@Olympics) August 3, 2021
Mboma became only the second Namibian to win a medal at the Olympic Games clocking a new world Under-20 record of 21.81, with Thomas following shortly on her heels for the bronze medal, clocking 21.87.
Only two nights earlier, Thompson-Herah raced to a new Olympic record in the 100m final to keep her hopes of a second sprinting double alive.
Thompson-Herah highlighted her imperious form in the half-lap sprint event posting the second-fastest time in history, just 0.19 short of the world record the iconic Florence Griffith-Joyner set at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games.
The 29-year-old Jamaican came out of the bend with a slight lead with compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on her shoulder
But Thompson-Herah stepped up a gear to remove any doubt about who would be crowned the short-sprint queen at these Olympics.
Thomas, who came into the Games as the second-fastest woman in history, moved past Fraser-Pryce into second place before a Mboma pipped her to the line for the silver medal.
“It feels amazing to win two golds again. I have had a rough week. I haven’t slept after the 100m final,” Thompson-Herah said after completing six rounds of racing en route to the sprint double.
“I really had to pull it out to win the 200m. It’s a new PB (personal best) and a national record. I am so, so happy. Oh my god, it’s amazing that I have ever seen this day. That I could complete another double. I can’t believe it.”
