by RBR AdminJoe Zoechert was among a group of journalists, overseen by Professor Lori Shontz, at the University of Oregon. Joe wrote for @runblogrun in Eugene, Oregon last month at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
We asked Joe Zoechert if he would like to write his observations on Tokyo for us. This is his first column on the Tokyo Olympics.
Joe gets it right on the Jamaican women sprinters; their talent, hard work and ability to be ready and healthy for the global events mean that they are always players in the global sprint wars.
In the end @fastelaine has battled nearly crippling achilles pain, to come back and win the @tokyo2020 100m (OR of 10.61), defending @rio2016 title! (photo by Mike Deering @theshoeaddicts, at @london2017), @nbcolympics, @stuartweir, @larryeder, @britathletics, @scotathletics, pic.twitter.com/5xjVyAdNPr
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) July 31, 2021
By Joe Zochert
RunBlogRun
TOKYO, Japan — Elaine Thompson-Herah crossed the finish line giving a left-handed salute as she won with an Olympic Record 10.61 in the women’s 100m final as Jamaica swept the podium.
Thompson-Herah, 29, defended her Olympic title in the 100m after winning in the 2016 Rio Games as she has become the second-fastest woman in history.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, photo via TV by Kathy Camara
The only woman to have run faster than her is the late Florence Griffith Joyner, who has held the world record since 1988. However, the record is still under scrutiny to this day as some competitors believe that Joyner was doping.
Shericka Jackson, photo by K.Camara (via TV)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Sherika Jackson finished second and third respectively as they completed the first Jamaican sweep since the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Fraser-Pryce, 34, has had amazing longevity in the sport as she got Silver with a 10.74 holding off Jackson.
Marie Josee Ta Lou, London 2017, photo by Mike Deering /The Shoe Addicts, for RunBlogRun
The two-time Olympic champion now has a complete set of medals featuring two golds, one silver, and a bronze. Fraser-Pryce was also part of the last Jamaican sweep in the women’s 100m, winning gold in the 2008 Beijing Games.
Jackson, 27, completed the sweep for Jamaica with a 10.76 as she got her second Bronze. She switched to the 100m after getting Bronze in the 400m in the Rio 2016 games.
Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Jackson are all entered in the women’s 200m and they will have a real opportunity to sweep again. This terrifying trio will also be on the Jamaican women’s 4x100m relay where they will be looking to avenge their 2nd place finish to the United States in the 2016 games.
The Good News for Fans: This has so far been another Olympics where Jamaica has shown off dominance in the sprinting events.
The Bad News to sprinters from other countries: They aren’t going anywhere.
