Elaine Thompson takes 200m gold, completes double

Sport360 staff 06:25 18/08/2016
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  • Sprint hero: Elaine Thompson.

    Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson completed the sprint double at the Rio Olympics by beating Holland’s Dafne Schippers to 200 metres gold.

    The 24-year-old, beaten by Schippers at last year’s World Championships in Beijing, exacted revenge by blazing home in 21.78 seconds.

    Schippers took silver in 21.88secs, crashing to the track as she crossed the line, while American Torie Bowie won bronze in 22.15s.

    Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith finished fifth, the same position as in Beijing, in 22.31.

    Thompson, who ended compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s eight-year reign as 100m champion, has now completed a feat last achieved by Griffith Joyner in 1988 in Seoul.

    Marion Jones did come home first over both events in Sydney in 2000, but was stripped of those medals for doping.

    Thompson said: “My school motto was ‘Let the light shine’ and I let my light shine tonight.

    “It’s a big surprise to me, because I have had a hamstring injury. You must overcome these things and tonight I am standing here with a gold. To beat Dafne is a hard run.”

    Schippers was utterly dejected afterwards, saying: “I came here to win and that’s all. I’m not happy with the silver.”

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