Thompson-Herah completes historic 'double-double'

 

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah clocked a national record 21.53s – the second-fastest time in history - to win the women's 200m event in Tokyo and complete an unprecedented sprint 'double-double' at back-to-back Olympic Games. She is the first woman to accomplish the feat, having won the 100m gold on the weekend in 10.61s, also the second-fastest time in history.

 

The only other person to ever complete the sprint double more than once in the history of the Olympics is Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, who did it on three occasions - Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.  

 

Running in lane seven, Thompson-Herah blasted off the turn with compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce running in lane four in hot pursuit, but the 29-year-old turned on the after-burners to cross the line in a career-best time.

 

Fraser-Pryce faded to fourth in 21.94s behind Namibia’s Christine Mboma, who did a World Under-20 record for silver and American Gabby Thomas 21.87s for the bronze.

 

In winning with 21.53s, the Stephen Francis coached Thompson-Herah surpassed Merlene Ottey’s national record of 21.64s, Dafne Schippers 21.63s, Marion Jones 21.62s (altitude), and Gabby Thomas 21.61s. Only world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner has gone faster with 21.34s, done in 1988 to win the Olympic title.