Elaine Thompson-Herah Breaks Florence Griffith Joyner's Olympic Record

Source: Matthias Hangst / Getty

Elaine Thompson-Herah just broke a record while also snagging a gold medal. During the women’s 100 meters race, the Jamaican-bred track star broke Florence Griffith Joyner’s record when she crossed the finish line in 10.61 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics. Griffith Joyner’s record of 10.62  was set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

“I think I could have gone faster if I wasn’t pointing and celebrating, really,” Thompson-Herah said. “But to show you that there’s more in store. Hopefully one day I can unleash that time.”

Griffith-Joyner is still the fastest woman in the world though. She still holds the world record of 10.49 seconds which she also set in 1988.

Thompson-Herah’s future was uncertain after she suffered an Achilles tendon injury that persisted through the Jamaican Olympic trials.

“And I held my composure, I believe in myself, I believe in God, and the team around me is very strong, I get that support,” she said according to Yahoo Sports. “I didn’t expect to run this fast, even though I felt great during the rounds. Two months ago, probably a month-and-a-half, I didn’t think I would be here today. Behind this 10.61 there was a lot of nerves. I said, ‘You can do this, you’ve been here before, just execute.'”

The women’s 100 meter race was actually swept by Jamaica. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson finished behind Thompson-Herah, making this the second time in the last four Olympics that Jamaica swept the women’s 100 meter race.

Thompson-Herah won her first gold medal during the Rio Olympics in 2016.