Elaine is one of the greats, says Grange
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Sport Minister, Olivia Grange, has hailed the historic performance of Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah after she won the women’s 200 metres in 21.53 seconds — a new national record — at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on Tuesday.
Thompson-Herah finished ahead of Christine Mboma of Namibia (21.81) and Gabriella Thomas of the USA (21.87).
The greatly decorated Jamaican sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, finished fourth in 21.94 seconds.
Thompson-Herah is the first woman to win both the 100 and 200 metres at separate Olympic Games after also taking the sprint double at Rio 2016.
Congratulating Thompson-Herah on her successes, Grange said: “Elaine is such an amazing athlete. It is such a pleasure to watch her run. All of Jamaica is proud of this new record that she has achieved — the only woman to successfully defend both the 100 and 200 metres at an Olympics. She is definitely one of the greats. And I’m so excited to see what else she will do, because I believe she has a lot more in her.”
The minister also extended her praises to Fraser-Pryce on a “very valiant effort. We continue to be proud of the way that Elaine, and Shelly-Ann, and Natoya, and all members of Team Jamaica are representing our country in Tokyo”.
Jamaica’s Natoya Goule finished eighth in the women’s 800 metres.
