Born on June 28, 1992, E. Thompson-Herah OD (née Thompson) is a sprinter for the Jamaican national team in the 60-, 100-, and 200-meter events.
She is the current world record holder for the 100-meter dash and third-fastest woman in history, making her one of the best sprinters of all time.
In the 100-meter and 200-meter events at both the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. E. Thompson-Herah made history by being the first female sprinter in Olympic history to win the “sprint double.”
Usain Bolt was the first sprinter to accomplish this feat. At the 2015 World Athletics Championships, where she won silver in the 200 metre race, she first came to widespread attention despite her six Olympic medals.
After Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988, she won the 100-meter and 200-meter events at the Rio Olympics, making her the first woman to do it since.
E. Thompson-Herah Completed Her Historic Sprint ‘Double-Double’
Before E. Thompson-Herah-2021 Herah’s Olympic gold medal performance in Tokyo, no woman had ever successfully defended the 100- and 200-meter titles. E. Thompson-Herah, a Jamaican sprinter, was aptly described as “the first woman to win three gold medals in track and field at the same Olympic Games.”
The 29-year-old finished behind her great rival Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson in the June Jamaican trials for the 100 and 200 metres. With her performance of 10.63 in Kingston, Fraser-Pryce moved into second place on the all-time 100 metres list for women, behind only Florence Griffith-Joyner.
However, two weeks later in Hungary, E. Thompson-Herah bested her with a season better time of 10.71. The stage was set for a monumental battle in Japan between the current 100-meter champion and the winner of the event at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
E. Thompson-Herah is a Natural Runner
E. Thompson-Herah was taken in by her grandmother Gloria when she was just seven months old. Elaine hails from Banana Ground in Manchester Parish, one of the poorest areas in Jamaica.
Despite the fact that E. Thompson-Herah-loved Herah’s ones have always insisted she was “born to run,” the 2009 Jamaican Boys and Girls Championships. Saw her finish a disappointing fourth in the 100-meter dash.
After two years, she was no longer allowed to participate in track and field at her school. Stephen Francis, the founder of the MVP Track Club and the man responsible for Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce’s great athletic career, saw potential in her and signed her to the club.
Conclusion
At Rio 2016, E. Thompson-Herah made a huge breakthrough. After succeeding compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as sprint queen. The then-24-year-old ensured that the Olympic women’s 100m title would remain in Jamaican hands and went on to win the 200m.
In doing so, she followed in the footsteps of the late Florence Griffith-Joyner, who in 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, became the first woman to win gold in both of the sprinting events.
