Jamaica's Thompson-Herah breaks America's Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic record in women's 100m

Gulf Today Report

2016 Rio Olympics champion Elaine Thompson-Herah broke American Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic record in the women's 100 metres final in Tokyo on Saturday.

Thompson-Herah crossed the winning line in the new Olympic record of10.61 seconds to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals. Joyner set the record of 10.62 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in South Korea.

Thompson-Herah’s compatriots, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took the silver medal with 10.74 seconds.

After winning the medal, Thompson-Herah said that I am really excited to come back and retain my title. My chest hurts, I am so happy.

Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates crossing the finish line to win gold medal. Reuters

Her win also continues Jamaica's domination in the event, winning the gold since the Beijing Olympics and 2008 finishing in the top three since the Barcelona Olympics 1992. No Olympic champion had broken 10.7 since Joyner back in the day.

Elaine Thompson-Herah (R) celebrates after winning the women's 100m final. AFP

Thompson-Herah wasn't sure she would either as she approached the finish. But I knew that I won, she said. The pointing, I don’t know what it means. To show that I was clear, she said.