Thompson, who won the 100m crown on Saturday, timed a season’s best of 21.78 seconds to trump Dutch favorite Dafne Schippers, who won silver in 21.78sec.
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The Dutchwoman was superb in the semi-finals on Tuesday, posting the quickest time of 21.96 seconds, but American Bowie – runner-up in the 100m in Rio – also poses a threat to her challenge. I honestly don’t know what is going through my mind right now. I just needed to trust my ability and have fun.
“I came for gold, I was in good form”, she said.
“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 anxious earlier this season about even making the Games. “I was getting closer and closer to her and felt I was almost passing her, but broke down”.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast won the second semi-final in a personal-best time of 22.28, ahead of Bulgaria’s Ivet Lalova-Collio, who ran a season-best 22.42.
Three women over seven metres – an astonishing contest. It was a test of character and I bounced back well.
“I couldn’t really celebrate”, said Bartoletta.
Reese commented: “I’m not disappointed at all”.
Bowie will compete in one more event at the Rio Olympics. Brianna Rollins led the way to take gold, closely followed by Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin.
How different might it have been if Kendra Harrison, the US hurdler who broke the 26-year-old world record by running 12.20 last month, had managed to qualify from the sudden death US Olympic trials?
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Meanwhile, in the women’s sprint hurdles final, United States of America completed the first-ever sweep of the medals in the 100m hurdles in Olympic history, after Brianna Rollins led a 1-2-3 finish in the event for the Americans.
