Rio 2016: Golden double for Elaine Thompson

Elaine Thompson sealed an Olympic sprint double after scorching to victory in the women's 200m on Wednesday.

Update: 2016-08-19 01:36 GMT
Elaine Thompson of Jamaica (left) wins the gold medal in the women's 200-metre final at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. (Photo: AP)

Rio de Janeiro: Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson sealed an Olympic sprint double after scorching to victory in the women’s 200m on Wednesday. Thompson, who won the 100m crown on Saturday, timed a season’s best of 21.78 seconds to trump Dutch favourite Dafne Schippers, who won silver in 21.78sec. “I knew she had a strong finish, so I knew I had to get out there as soon as possible,” Thompson said of her Dutch rival.

“I have the gold so I can’t complain.”Thompson said her victory was made special by the former Jamaicans who have won the sprint events. “It is very special for me to win,” she said. “I spent my childhood growing up watching Veronica Campbell-Brown and then Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce. “To beat Dafne Schippers is a real fight and it was a tough race as I’ve had a hard season,” the Jamaican said, adding that she was worried earlier this season about even making the Games.

Schippers was left devastated by the result. “I came for the gold, I’m not happy with the silver,” said Schippers, who won gold in last year’s Beijing world championships with 21.63sec, the fourth fastest time ever run over the distance. “I was in better form and at the moment it’s less than before.

“My time’s okay but not strong enough. It’s tough to run six races (in both 100 and 200m). I was getting closer and closer to her and felt I was nearly passing her, but broke down.” It was a first Olympic sprint double since American world record holder Florence Griffith Joyner’s at Seoul in 1988. American Tori Bowie claimed bronze (22.15) to go with the silver she won in the 100m.

Similar News