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Jamaican sprint queen matches Usain Bolt in 'unreal' Olympics moment

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read
Elaine Thompson-Herah, pictured here becoming the first woman to do the 100-200m double-double at at the Olympics.
Elaine Thompson-Herah became the first woman to do the 100-200m double-double at at the Olympics. Image: Getty

Elaine Thompson-Herah has emulated Usain Bolt and become the first woman in Olympics history to do the 100-200m double at back-to-back Games.

The Jamaican sprint queen clocked a blistering time of 21.53 seconds - the second fastest time in history - to streak away on the home straight and win the 200m final on Tuesday night.

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Only American legend Florence Griffith-Joyner has run faster in the 200m with world record of 21.34 seconds set in 1988.

The incredible triumph came just days after Thompson-Herah won the 100m gold in a Jamaican clean-sweep of the medals.

This time the Jamaican dominance was broken as Christine Mboma of Namibia (21.81) claimed silver and American Gabby Thomas (21.87) earned bronze.

Thomas just edged out Jamaica's former world champion and Olympic silver medallist Fraser-Pryce (21.94).

Thompson-Herah controlled the race from the start and was a clear winner, but 18-year-old Mboma produced an astonishing final 30 metres to make up four places and take silver.

It marked the second time in four nights that Thompson-Herah had won a sprint and recorded a time that fell short of only Griffith Joyner's hallowed, 33-year-old world records.

In the 100m final earlier in the week, Thompson-Herah finished in 10.61, which was good for the Olympic record but not Flo Jo's overall mark of 10.49.

She defended her 100m title on Saturday ahead of Jamaican teammates Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson.

Thompson-Herah is a chance of more gold when she competes in the women's 4x100m relay this weekend.

Gabby Thomas, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Christine Mboma, pictured here celebrating after the 200m final.
Gabby Thomas, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Christine Mboma celebrate after the 200m final. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Athletics world erupts over 'insane' Thompson-Herah feat

Her double-double in the 100 and 200m emulated fellow Jamaican superstar Bolt, who went on to win three-consecutive 100m-200m Olympic titles.

Thompson-Herah and Bolt are the only athletes in history to achieve the feat at consecutive Olympics.

Thompson-Herah also became the only female athlete in track and field history to win four individual Olympic gold medals.

"It really means a lot to me to be in that history book, because I've been through a lot and it tells my story," the Jamaican said.

It was a star-studded 200m final, defined as much by who didn't finish on the podium as who did.

Besides Fraser-Pryce, Shaune Miller-Uibo - who focused on the 200m instead of defending her title in the 400m - came in last.

Miller-Uibo is still in the mix for the 400m, after finishing first in a preliminary heat earlier on Tuesday.

Thompson-Herah joins fellow Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown and Barbel Wockel of the former East Germany as the third back-to-back champion in the 200m.

with AAP

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