“What I´m most happy about is that the 100m title is staying in Jamaica”, said Fraser-Pryce, who raced with her hair dyed in Jamaica´s national colours. I thought about my family.
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It was the most noteworthy moment of the 12-minute event attended by about a 20 journalists.
Incredible. Elaine Thompson of Jamaica has won the gold medal in the women’s 100m sprint.
What happened Saturday night deserves better. Though it was my to be for Fraser-Pryce as Thompson produced the performance of her life. New Zealand’s shot putter Valerie Adams and 10,000 great Tirunesh Dibaba failed to get such a triple on Friday, further increasing the focus on Fraser-Pryce. Coloring has run the gamut of blue to pink, with a dash of flowers added over the years.
Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast finished fourth while flying Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers, a strong favourite for the 200m, was fifth in 10.90sec.
Merlene Ottey won nine Olympic medals between 1980 and 2000. She had been struggling with a toe injury that she said made even getting to the line an accomplishment.
The other thing that helped Thompson was training day after day with Fraser-Pryce, an accomplished woman who is as professional and serious-minded as Thompson was raw and petulant.
Thompson and Fraser-Pryce share a coach and a close friendship. They shared a Jamaican flag on the blue track after the final, posing for photos.
Thompson and Bowie have much in common, too.
In 2013, Thompson ranked No. 124 in the world in the 100m.
Compatriot English Gardner also made it to the final. “I’m not doing as well as I want to be doing”.
Some people credit the country’s grassroots love of the sport and point to examples like the 30,000 or so people that jam in each year to watch the eagerly awaited Champs, the island’s high school championships.
“I am bitter inside because I came here to at least run a personal best”. A decision on Darya Klishina’s petition is expected before the long jump competition begins Tuesday. She finished her semi-final grimacing as she crossed the line.
Bowie, who hails from Sandhill, Mississippi, previously said that she was hoping to make her small town proud.
Bowie experienced nearly immediate success. Stories abound of how petulance nearly ended her career in her native Jamaica before it started. Back in the 2015 World Championships Tori proved she has the ability to finish in medal position – she scored bronze in Beijing. The only hiccup was in the 100m final, where she was third (but a comfortable third, earning the last individual Olympic 100m spot by.17). Her picture isn’t even on the front of the MVP website.
Fraser-Pryce was trying to become the first person to win three straight 100-meter titles at the Olympics.
Relief and tears were evident as Bowie stopped in the media mixed zone and saw Holland.
“In 2008 it was my time, in 2016 it was her time and I’m happy Jamaica gets to keep the gold”.
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The spotlight will be on Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro in the men’s singles gold medal tennis match on Sunday.
