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.
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.
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
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.”
