100 metres, Women

This was to be the battle of the hyphens, as the four leading challengers were Jamaicans Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, and Ivoirian Marie-Josée Ta Lou. One runner not present was American Sha’carri Richardson, who had won the US Olympic Trials, only to lose that title after she tested positive for cannabis, which she admitted to, stating that she did so to relive anxiety after the recent death of her mother. In her absence, no USA runner was considered a medal threat.

Thompson-Herah was the defending champion, also having won the 200 gold medal in Rio, while Fraser-Pryce had won gold in this event in 2008 and 2012, but was still formidable, having recently run 10.63, a PR, and she had been the 2019 World Champion. Fraser-Pryce had beaten Thompson-Herah at the Jamaican Olympic Trials.

All the favorites made it through the heats, but Asher-Smith did not qualify out of the semi-finals, blaming a hamstring injury that would keep her out of the 200, in which she was the pre-Olympic favorite. The times in the rounds were fast, with Ta Lou running 10.78 in her heat, and Thompson-Herah running 10.76 in the first semi-final, only to be topped by Fraser-Pryce’s 10.73 in the third semi.

Thompson-Herah and Fraser-Pryce were lined up in adjacent lanes and both got quick starts, but Thompson-Herah maintained her speed longer and finished a stride ahead of her rival / teammate, recording 10.61, with Fraser-Pryce finishing in 10.74. Behind them Shericka Jackson completed the sweep for Jamaica, as Ta Lou was just off the podium.

Thompson-Herah had defended her gold medal, and a few days later she would also defend the 200 title from Rio. Her time of 10.61 was the second fastest ever run, trailing only the world record set by Florence Griffith Joyner at the 1988 US Olympic Trials. Thompson-Herah ran into a 0.6 m/s headwind, however, and athletics statheads considered this the fastest time ever run, under all conditions, correcting for wind and altitude.