Fresh off of her multiple Olympic gold medal campaign, Elaine Thompson-Herah continued to dominate on the race track Saturday, nearly setting another fresh record in Eugene, Oregon at the Prefontaine Classic.
The Jamaican sprinter won the 100-meter dash at the Eugene Diamond League competition, recording the second-fastest time in the history of the women’s 100 meters.
Thompson-Herah, 29, notched a 10.54 second run time as she took first place among nine sprinters, as reported by CNN. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner has had a faster 100-meter time. The late track icon, known to the world as “Flo Jo,” ran a 10.49 world record time during the trials of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. She would later win the final 100-meter race, earning one of her three gold medals.
Thompson-Herah did get to break a Flo Jo record in Tokyo at the Summer Olympics last month when she successfully defended her 100-meter and 200-meter Olympic titles. She set an Olympic record after clocking in a time of 10.61 seconds in the 100-meter race, besting the old record of 10.62 seconds.
Thompson-Herah was even shocked herself that she was able to improve her time so soon after Tokyo.
“To come back with a (personal best) after the championships, that is amazing,” Thompson-Herah said, CNN reports. “I haven’t run that fast in five years.”
Right behind Thompson-Herah during Saturday’s race were her Olympic teammates, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. The fellow Jamaicans Fraser-Pryce and Jackson finished second and third, respectively, in the race. This feat duplicated their top-three finish in the same event at the Tokyo Olympics when the three earned gold, silver and bronze in the 100 meters, as reported by ESPN.
In addition, Saturday’s Prefontaine Classic event also saw the return of American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who had missed the Tokyo Olympics after receiving a 30-day suspension for testing positive for THC. Prior to her suspension, the LSU track star was seen as a favorite during Olympic qualifiers to challenge Thompson-Heran and her Jamaican teammates.
Unfortunately for Richardson, 21, she finished Saturday’s 100 meter race with a time of 11.14, putting her in last place, as reported by theGrio. Despite her disappointing return, Richardson remained defiantly confident.
“I’m not upset with myself at all,” Richardson said. “This is one race. I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of. Count me out if you want to. Talk all the s— you want because I’m here to stay.”
While not taking anything away from Thompson-Heran, Fraser-Pryce and Jackson, Richardson contends her best days are ahead of her.
“I’m not done. I’m the sixth-fastest woman in this game, ever, and can’t nobody ever take that away from me,” Richardson said. “Congratulations to the winners. Congratulations to the people that won, but they’re not done seeing me yet — period.”
Following her loss in the 100 meters, Richardson withdrew from the day’s 200 meter race, according to the Associated Press. Fellow American sprinter, Allyson Felix, who won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, would race in the 200 meters on Saturday, but like Richardson, also finished last.
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