Tokyo Olympics: Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah Wins Women’s 100m Following Okagbare’s Suspension (Video)
Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah has on Saturday, July 31 successfully defended her Olympic 100m crown by racing to victory with 10.61sec record time.
Thompson-Herah raced over the line at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium in 10.61sec, with two-time countryman champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce taking silver in 10.74 and Shericka Jackson bronze in 10.76 sec.
Thompson-Herah’s Olympic record winning time matched the second-fastest time in the history of 10.61sec set by late Florence Griffith-Joyner.
Only Griffith-Joyner, the 1988 Olympic champion who remains the world record holder with a best 10.49, has ever run faster.
Thompson-Herah’s win comes after Blessing Okagbare, the reigning Nigerian record holder in both the 100m and 200m, was barred from the Olympics after failing a drug test, the first doping case of the Tokyo games track and field competition.
Read Also: Blessing Okagbare Suspended For Failing Drug Test, Out Of Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Okagbare – Nigeria’s brightest hope in women’s 100m – finished first in her heat in 11.05 seconds to advance to the semi-final before she was suspended.
Athletics Integrity Unit said in a statement that Okagbare, who won her opening heat of the women’s 100m on Friday, had tested positive for human growth hormone.
The out-of-competition test was conducted on July 19, the AIU said. Okagbare was notified of the test results early Saturday.
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Okagbare, 32, won her heat in 11.05sec on Friday.
Okagbare’s suspension is the latest twist in a troubled track and field campaign at the Olympics for Nigeria.
On Thursday, AIU said 10 Nigerian athletes were among 18 competitors prevented from entering the competition in Tokyo after failing to meet requirements for out-of-competition testing.
Also, Men’s basketball team, D’Tigers crashed out the games after third consecutive loss to US, Australia and Italy.
Read Also: Basketball: Nigeria’s D’Tigers Crash Out Of Olympics After Third Consecutive Loss
Although they had rounded off their pre-Olympic preparations with impressive wins over the U.S. and Argentina, they put up epileptic performances at the Olympics.
On Saturday, Divine Oduduru was disqualified from a 100m race at the ongoing Games over a false start.
Read Also: Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria Suffers Another Setback As Divine Oduduru Gets Disqualified From 100m Race
Watch a video of Elaine Thompson-Herah running;
That. Is. Rapid.
The second fastest 100m ever run by a woman! 😲
Elaine Thompson Herah defends her title with a new Olympic record!#bbcolympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/fCBGeVUA36
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 31, 2021
