Haven’t successfully defended her 100m Olympic title in an astonishing fashion on Saturday, Jamaican sprinter – Elaine Thompson-Herah has noted that she believes she can run quicker than the 10.61 seconds which happens to be the new record in the history of the Olympics.
The Banana Ground [Manchester Parish] native achieved a personal excellence at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium last night in Japan having posted a remarkable 10.61 seconds to see off competition from fellow Jamaicans, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce [10.74] and Shericka Jackson [10.76].
But, the MVP Track Club sprinter who broke Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic mark [10.62] said in a post race interview that she could have gone faster if she hadn’t started celebrating early:
“I could have gone faster if I wasn’t pointing and celebrating early. But that shows there is more in store so hopefully one day I can unleash that time.
“I couldn’t find the words. I screamed so loud because I was so happy.”
Thompson-Herah who won double gold medal [100m and 200m] at her first Olympic Games appearance in Rio 2016 further reiterated the difficulties she had endured in the past years because of a nagging Achilles problem which almost prevented her from competing in Tokyo:
“I knew I had it in me but obviously I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries. I’ve been keeping faith all this time. It is amazing.
“I’ve been injured so much. I’m grateful I could get back on the track and get back out on the track this year to retain the title.
Elaine Thompson-Herah will now shift her attention to the 200m to see if she could perhaps retain her crown in that particular event too.
By James K. Attaglo Wilson
www.sports24ghana.com
