Jamaica’s Elaine Thomson overcame a niggling hamstring injury to obliterate her rivals in the women’s 200 metres final on Wednesday and become the first women since 1988 to secure the Olympics sprint double.
Thompson’s dominant victory emulated American Florence Griffith Joyner, the last woman to win both 100 and 200 gold medals at the same Games.
Thompson’s victory over pre-race favourite Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands ensured Jamaica maintained its grip on the Games’ most prestigious sprinting titles.
“My school motto was ‘let the light shine’ and I let my light shine tonight,” Thompson told reporters.
“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.”
Thompson said she was shocked by her Rio success and revealed she had watched on the internet Joyner’s races from 1988.
Thompson, who won a 200m silver in the 2015 world championship, also credited her stunning performance to being able to overcome the hamstring injury sustained during the Jamaican Olympic trials. “I had rough days training but I did not let that overcome me. I’m a warrior,” she said.