Elaine Thompson-Herah shattered her own Jamaican 100m record with another stunning display at Saturday’s (21 Aug) Prefontaine Classic, the ninth stop in the Wanda Diamond League.
Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 run bettered her previous best of 10.61, set to retain her Rio 2016 Olympic Games 100m title in Tokyo 2020. She is now the second woman ever to break sub-10.6, which moves her closer to the 10.49 world record of the late American Florence Griffith-Joyner, set back in 1988.
“To come back with a personal best after the Olympics, that is amazing,” said Elaine Thompson-Herah, whose face had lit up when she saw her time.
“It means a lot to me, because my job is to inspire a generation. I have more races, so I won’t get too excited, too carried away. I have to continue doing the job,” added Elaine-Thompson-Herah.
Again, like in the Tokyo 2020 final, she also led home a Jamaican 1-2-3. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 gold medallist who has run 10.63 this season, was second in 10.73, with fellow Jamaican Shericka Jackson completing the order of the Tokyo Olympic podium as she clocked 10.76, equalling her personal best.
Sha’Carri Richardson, the much talked about American sprinter, who missed the Tokyo 2020 games because of a suspension, finished dead last in 11.14.
Briana Williams, the fourth Jamaican in the event, finished eighth in 11.09.
Natoya Goule finished third in the women’s 800m, running 1:57.71. Athing Mu ran an American record, world lead and meeting record 1:55.04 to win.
Three Jamaicans, Janieve Russell, 54.50 for 5th, Ronda Whyte, 55.57 7th and Leah Nugent, 55.86 8th, were in the women’s 400m hurdles. American Dalilah Muhammad won the event in a meeting record 52.77.
Canadian Andre De Grasse won the men’s 100m in 9.74 ahead of American Fred Kerley, 9.78 (+2.9m/s wind).
Noah Lyles, the American world champion, stormed to a world lead and meeting record 19.52 to win the men’s 200m. Fellow American Kenneth Bednarek took second in 19.80.
Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain ran 22.19 for third in the women’s 200m, won by Mujinga Kambundji, 22.06.
What a great picture!
Congratulations El!!! Congratulations to all your competitors too!