AFP
Rio de Janeiro, August 18: Elaine Thompson captured a magnificent Olympic sprint double for Jamaica as Brianna Rollins led a first ever clean sweep of medals for the United States in the 100m hurdles.
Thompson, who sprinted to gold in the 100m Saturday, stunned Dutch World Champion Dafne Schippers to win the 200m in 21.78 seconds.
Schippers, who stumbled dramatically as she crossed the line, took silver in 21.88s while Tori Bowie of the United States won bronze.
Thompson, 24, dedicated her victory to the trailblazing Jamaican stars who had won Olympic gold over the past years. “It is very special for me to win,” she stated. “I spent my childhood growing up watching Veronica Campbell-Brown and then Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce.”
It was a first Olympic women’s sprint double since American world record holder Florence Griffith Joyner’s at the Seoul Games in 1988.
Thompson’s gold also avenged her loss to Schippers in the World Championships in Beijing last year.
“I knew she had a strong finish, so I knew I had to get out there as soon as possible,” Thompson stated about her Dutch rival.
In the final event of the night, 2013 World Champion Rollins led a majestic performance by America’s formidable trio of 100m hurdlers.
Rollins produced a flawless display to zip over in 12.48 seconds ahead of compatriot Nia Ali, who took silver in 12.59s. The third US hurdler, Kristi Castlin, faced an agonising wait before her bronze medal was confirmed in 12.61s.
The American women hugged each other and jumped up and down after the sweep was confirmed. “It’s like a sisterhood,” said Rollins. “I’ve known these girls for years. I’m so grateful and blessed that we were able to accomplish this together.”
Elsewhere Wednesday, Tianna Bartoletta of the United States upset defending champion and teammate Brittney Reese to take the long jump gold.
Bartoletta, a 2005 World Champion who gave up the sport as she struggled to regain her fitness, secured victory with her penultimate leap of 7.17m to knock Reese out of the gold medal standings. Reese, who could only manage 7.15m on her final jump, had to settle for silver.
But it was a disappointing long jump final for Darya Klishina. The only Russian athlete allowed to compete in the track and field competition following her country’s doping scandal, she bowed out midway through the final.
“Ten or 15 years ago I couldn’t imagine that my first Olympic Games would be like this,” a disappointed Klishina told reporters.
