It has been 20 years since a woman from the United States of the America (USA) last won the 100m at the Olympics Games and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson will be hoping to continue that trend.

Gail Devers was the last American to triumph in the women’s blue riband event, and although Marion Jones won in 2000, she was later stripped of her medal after confessing to doping violations in 2007.

In the IAAF Statistics Handbook, the USA, with nine gold medals in the 100m, led the points table with 198 points. Jamaica are second on 99 points with two Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins. Germany are just behind on 92 points, with Australia fourth with 62 points. countries are given eight points for a win, seven points for second, six for third, straight down to one for eighth.

While the men’s 100m was competed for since 1896 at the Olympics, the women had to wait until 1928, when Betty Robinson of the United States of America won in 12.2 seconds ahead of the Canadian pair of Fanny Rosenfield (12.2) and Ethel Smith (12.3).

Poland’s Stanislawa Walasiewicz was the second women’s 100m Olympic champion, winning in 11.9 seconds, the same time as second-placed Hilda Strike of Canada. Walasiewicz was born in Poland but lived in the USA from she was 18 months old. Helen Stephens was the second American to win gold in 1936 in a world record 11.5 seconds, she was followed by Fanny Blanker-Koen of the Netherlands in 1948, who won in 11.9. Jamaica’s Cynthia Thompson was sixth with 12.6.

Marjorie Jackson of Australia equalled the world record of 11.5 in 1952 and again Australia would be successful as Betty Cuthbert won gold in 1956 in 11.5 seconds. The USA would win the next three gold medals as Wilma Rudolph won in 1960 before Wyomia Tyus would become the first woman to win back-to-back titles in 1964 and 1968 in 11.4 and a word record 11.0 seconds, respectively.

Renate Stecher of West Germany would take the 100m crown back to Europe, winning in 11.07, while Annegret Richter of East Germany won in 1976. With the Americans boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, home girl Lyudmila Kondratyeva of the Soviet Union won in 11.06 seconds.

American Evelyn Ashford, who missed the 1980 Games, made amends in 1984 in Los Angeles and won in an Olympic record of 10.97 seconds. This time, the Soviet Union had boycotted the Olympics. Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey won bronze in 11.16, with Grace Jackson fifth in 11.39.

In 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, saw sprinting being taken to a different level as Florence Griffiths-Joyner dethroned Ashford winning in an Olympic record of 10.54 seconds. Ashford was second with 10.83. Jamaica’s Grace Jackson finished fourth in 10.97, and although she did not medal, she gained points for Jamaica. Her teammate Juliet Cuthbert was seventh in 11.26.

Then, four years later, Jamaica came closest to winning the women’s 100m gold, but Cuthbert was edged on the line by American Gail Devers, who won in 10.82 seconds. Cuthbert clocked 10.83 with Ottey down in fifth with 10.88. It was the fastest fifth place ever.

American Devers would become only the second women to defend the Olympic 100m title, and again she denied Jamaica in a breathtaking photo finish. Devers and Ottey both crossed the line in 10.94 seconds. That result was a rerun of the 1993 World Championships final when Devers edged Ottey on the line.

In 2000 in Sydney, disgraced American Marion Jones romped home in 10.75 seconds but was later disqualified. Jamaica’s Tayna Lawrence was promoted to second, while Ottey also moved up to bronze.

Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus pipped American fast-starting Lauren Williams. Nesterenko won in 10.93 seconds with Williams just behind in 10.96. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell was third in 10.97, with Aleen Bailey fifth with 11.05, and Sherone Simpson sixth with 11.07 seconds.

Then after 60 years, Jamaica’s painstaking wait was over in 2008. One Shelly-Ann Fraser left the blocks like a bullet and in 10.78 seconds, a golden era in Jamaica’s sprinting was written. Not only did Jamaica win gold, it became the first country to sweep the podium in the history of the 100m.

Then even more remarkable, both Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart were tied for silver in 10.98 seconds. That’s another historic achievement in the 100m.

Fraser, now married Pryce, became only the third woman to win back-to-back 100m title as in 2012 in London, she held off the fast-finishing Carmelita Jeter of the USA and won in 10.75. Jeter was clocked at 10.78 with Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown third in 10.81 seconds – the fastest third place ever. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive 100m gold medal and with her training partner Elaine Thompson in world-leading form, Jamaica could secure their third triumph in this event.