‘How much do they hate each other?’: Horribly awkward Jamaican 1-2-3 in 100m final
The world finally has an answer to why this historic Olympics moment turned bitterly frosty between so-called teammates.
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Some will say this is how you end up with three runners from one country on the podium in the biggest race in the world - pure, unadulterated competitiveness.
But there’s more to the story behind the at-time ice cold reception Elaine Thompson-Herah received from teammates Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson after she relegated them to second and third place respectively while winning the women’s 100m.
The Jamaicans made up the podium places with 2008 and 2012 champion Fraser-Pryce (10.74) and PB-running Jackson (10.76) trailing Thompson-Herah, who ran the fastest women’s 100m in Games history, with a 10.61.
Thompson-Herah’s time was the fastest since Florence Griffith-Joyner, whose world records are shrouded in infamy and concerns over their legitimacy.
And for different reasons the biggest threat to her record appears to be a bad girl too.
“I think it’s pretty obvious (there’s tension),” Aussie athletics great Tamsyn Manou explained on Seven.
“Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce left their coach after she won a gold medal at the world champs. She wanted to be in a different training group for a reason.”
Lovely moment for the Jamaicans going 1-2-3 in the 100.
— Tom O'Neil (@thomasjameoneil) July 31, 2021
Fraser-Pryce and Jackson absolutely ecstatic for their countryman, Thompson winning the🥇 pic.twitter.com/IqUZc2n1eO
Jeeeeez how much do these Jamaicans hate each other?!
— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) July 31, 2021
Huge fan of how fuming the other two Jamaican sprinters were then
— Si Lloyd (@SmnLlyd5) July 31, 2021
They are from the same country and yet I don’t feel the love between them.
— 02.08.21. youtube (@Bridget_Otoo) July 31, 2021
It is very clear the Jamaicans don't like Elaine Thompson-Herah.
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) July 31, 2021
And just for that reason, I like her. I like bad boy/girl winners.
I don’t think those other two Jamaicans like Thompson-Herah very much. That’s a pretty cold reception for her win from Fraser-Pryce and Jackson as Thompson-Herah sits on the ground screaming at herself. A light tap on the back and moved off. #Olympics#Tokyo2020
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 31, 2021
Thompson-Herah said she had not expected to challenge for the Olympic title earlier this year, when she was bothered by a niggling Achilles injury.
“Two months ago I didn’t think I would be here today,” said Thompson-Herah, who finished third behind Fraser-Pryce at Jamaica’s Olympic trials in June.
“But I held my composure, I believed in myself, I believed in God and the team around me is very strong. I never expected to run this fast.
“Behind this 10.6 it takes a lot. I knew I could have run this time from like 2016. But I think I celebrated early too much in my career.
“But I knew it would come one day eventually.”
The pre-race hype had focused on Fraser-Pryce, who until Saturday had been the fastest woman in the world over the distance this year.
The 34-year-old had been bidding to become the oldest sprinter to ever win an Olympic 100m title, and the first woman to win three individual track and field golds.
But in sultry conditions at an empty Olympic Stadium, it was 2016 Rio gold medallist Thompson who seized the moment.
Before the race, the stadium was plunged into darkness as the finalists were introduced under a spotlight bearing down on the starting area.
Thompson-Herah looked stony-faced as she focused on the challenge ahead in the lane next to Fraser-Pryce.
Fraser-Pryce got out of the blocks smoothly but once Thompson-Herah hit her stride there was only going to be one winner.
She drew level with Fraser-Pryce after around 60 metres and pulled clear, pointing and gesticulating in delight at the electronic board displaying her winning time as she crossed the line.
“I think I could have gone faster if I wasn’t pointing and celebrating,” Thompson-Herah said. “I wanted to show there was more in store. Hopefully one day I can unleash that time.”
Fraser-Pryce, who reiterated she plans to retire in 2022, was left disappointed but proud of leaving her fourth consecutive Olympic Games with a medal.
“Of course you’re disappointed,” Fraser-Pryce said. “The only aim you have as an athlete is to win.
“That didn’t happen tonight but still I’m grateful to be able to make the finals and stand on the podium at my fourth Olympic Games.
“So putting it in perspective I’m really grateful for the opportunity I had tonight.
“Even though it happened that way, I’m still excited that I walk away, yet again, with another medal.”
Fraser-Pryce meanwhile said Thompson-Herah’s blistering time reflected well on the strength of women’s sprinting.
“From the heats I knew it was going to be a fast race,” she said. “I’m really excited that female sprinting is going to another level. And that’s truly remarkable. It speaks to the depth that we have as females.”
- with foxsports.com.au and AFP
Originally published as ‘How much do they hate each other?’: Horribly awkward Jamaican 1-2-3 in 100m final
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