Elaine Thompson Targets World Record
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The Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, United States was held on the 21st of August, and it did not go down without a World-Class moment from the immaculate group of Athletes that were present at the track meet.
The women’s 100-meter race saw a lineup like no other as it featured some of the fastest females of all time in one race, however, it was Elaine Thompson-Herah who captured the hearts of the world track and field fans with her blistering 10.54 seconds to capture the second-fastest time ever in the world.
This is coming after she ran 10.61 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics to break the Olympic record of 10.62 seconds previously set by Florence Griffith-Joyner.
That particular Olympic run showed the world that Thompson-Herah had much left in her reserve and had people wondering how much faster can she go, however, after the Prefontaine classic there was no doubt as her 10.54 seconds proved that she is ready to go at the world record of 10.49 seconds set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in the year 1988 in Seoul.
What is interesting to note is that Griffith-Joyner’s time of 10.49 seconds was done on a very windy day, and even the officials at the stadium that day had questioned whether or not the time should be allowed since she ran with a high tailwind. The time was eventually accepted and the American was given the record.
Since then there have been female athletes who have risen to the occasion, running great times however, none has done what Elaine did, and in the post-race interview she did, the Jamaican says the time she ran makes her feel as if she can break the record.
In an interview after her 10.54 race, Elaine explained that she was a bit tired after the Olympics, however, she was confident going into the race and her times have pushed her to target the world record, “I’m close but there is some more work to do” she outlined.
Watch her interview below.
In the same race was the now third-fastest woman alive, Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce who won silver at the Olympics and Shericka Jackson who won bronze. Both women also ran great times with Fraser-Pryce running 10.73 and Jackson running 10.76, to place second and third in the race.
The big disappointment of the day, however, came from Sha’Carrie Richardson who was a favourite but placed last, in the race with a time of 11.14 seconds, a long time way from her personal best of 10.72 seconds.
Richardson will need to go back to the drawing board if she hopes to be of any competition to the fast Jamaican trio and according to Elaine Thompson-Herah, she still has more left in her for the rest of the season so it is something to look out for.
