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'Pretty obvious': Ugly details emerge about Jamaican sprint queens

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson, pictured here after the 100m final.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson completed a clean sweep of the medals in the 100m. (Wally Skalij /Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag)

Fans couldn't help but point out the frosty atmosphere between Elaine Thompson-Herah and her Jamaican teammates after she stormed to gold in the 100m final at the Olympics on Saturday night.

Thompson-Herah broke Florence Griffith Joyner's 33-year Olympic record in Tokyo, crossing the line in 10.61 seconds to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals.

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Griffith Joyner set the old record of 10.62 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Thompson-Herah beat her top rival, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, by 0.13 seconds in Saturday's showdown.

Fellow Jamaican Shericka Jackson, who moved to the shorter sprints for the Tokyo Olympics, took bronze in 10.76.

But despite the Jamaican clean sweep, Fraser-Pryce and Jackson didn't seem overly keen to celebrate with Thompson-Herah.

Fraser-Pryce and Jackson stood away from Thompson-Herah as they awaited the final result to appear on the scoreboard, then offered a cold and quick pat on the back when it was confirmed.

"There wasn't a whole lot of love there was there?" Bruce McAvaney noted in commentary for Channel 7.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, pictured here standing away from Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson stood away from Elaine Thompson-Herah while their times were confirmed. (Photo by Wang Lili/Xinhua via Getty Images) (Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima)

Aussie Olympian Tamsyn Manou revealed there is tension between the Jamaican teammates after Fraser-Pryce recently moved to a different coaching stable.

“I think it’s pretty obvious (there’s tension) when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has left the coach after she’s won a gold medal at the world champs,” Manou explained.

“She wanted to be in a different training group for a reason.”

Sports journalist Mark Gottleib tweeted: "I don’t think those other two Jamaicans like Thompson-Herah very much.

"That’s a pretty cold reception for her win from Fraser-Pryce and Jackson as Thompson-Herah sits on the ground screaming at herself. A light tap on the back and moved off."

Elaine Thompson-Harah eyes 100m world record

Thompson-Herah believes the world record is within her grasp after her dazzling time on Saturday night.

It was the second fastest time in history, but Thompson-Herah reckons she might even have annexed the late Flo Jo's mark on Saturday if she hadn't started celebrating so early in the race.

"It's a work in progress. Anything is possible," said Thompson-Herah, when asked if she could set a new mark.

"I think I could have gone faster if I wasn't pointing and celebrating, really.

"But to show you that there's more in store. Hopefully, one day I can unleash that time.

"I knew I was clear, that I won, so I started to celebrate too early. There's most definitely (a world record ) if I didn't celebrate.

"Two months ago, maybe a month and a half ago, I didn't think I would be here (because of an Achilles injury). I held my composure.

"I believed in myself, I believed in God. The team around me is very strong, I get the support and I believe in myself.

"I have more years. I'm just 29. I'm not 30. I'm not 40. I'm still working."

No Olympic champion had broken 10.7 since 'Flo Jo' and Thompson-Herah wasn't sure she would either as she approached the finish.

"But I knew that I won," she said.

"The pointing, I don't know what it means. To show that I was clear."

with AAP

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