Elusive world record now within reach for Elaine Thompson-Herah

Elaine Thompson-Herah is within touching distance of a 33-year-old athletics world record.

The Jamaican has almost broken the women’s 100m world record twice this season, and is being tipped to run faster than Florence Griffith-Joyner’s effort of 10.49 seconds at the Diamond League Final in Zurich.

Thompson-Herah recorded a 10.61 to win Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, before going 10.54 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.

As she lines up for the final Diamond League event of the season, the five-time Olympic champion admits that “the world record is a short-term goal”.

She is well within the world record pace, and with a crowd behind her in Zurich, it could be her moment.

READ: Diamond League champions set to be crowned at 2021 Final in Zurich - Preview, Schedule and more.

Rapid improvement in 2021

Thompson-Herah was only the the fifth-fastest woman going into 2021, with a best effort of 10.85 seconds.

The fact that she had managed just seven 100m races due to a pandemic-affected season was partly to blame.

In 2019, the sprinting sensation withdrew from the World Championships in Doha with injury, bringing that season to a disappointing, premature end.

But better days were around the corner. The 29-year-old ran five of the seven races in 2020 under 11 seconds, and looked every bit the champion who stormed to Olympic gold in the 100m and 200m at Rio 2016.

Watching her race at Tokyo 2020, what stood out was the fluidity in her stride pattern, similar to that of Flo-Jo’s in her short but highly successful career as a top-level sprinter.

When Thomson-Herah blasted out a 10.54 in Eugene, she covered the first 60m in an incredibly quick 6.87 seconds, equalling Flo-Jo’s 60m time when she sped to the world record at U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988.

Thompson Herah: I will definitely challenge World Record

Six years after breaking 11 seconds with her 10.92 at the Utech Classic, the Jamaican star is now odds-on to lower a record that was often perceived to be streaks ahead of its time.

Flo-Jo’s time was the biggest improvement in the world record since the introduction of electronic timing. She slashed 0.27 seconds from the previous mark held by compatriot Evelyn Ashford.

That mark of 10.49 has been listed by World Athletics since 1997 as “probably strongly wind-assisted”, which perhaps makes Thompson-Herah's mark of 10.54 in permitted winds comparable.

“A few years ago I was asked whether I could break that record and I said it was not possible, but for me to run a 10.54 means it is definitely within reach," she said ahead of her race in Lausanne when she finished behind compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s who clocked 10.60 sec, the third-fastest ever mark.

“It's good to be able to challenge a record that women thought for a long time was impossible to break, and it speaks to the evolution of sprinting.”.

Everything seems to be coming together for the triple Olympics gold medal winner, including the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, in Tokyo.

But she doesn’t want to end the season with the added pressure of being the fastest woman ever.

“The world record is not a target at the moment, but under perfect day and perfect weather conditions if I get that I will definitely challenge it,” said Thompson-Herah.

“The world record is a short-term goal, it’s quite close but if I end the season without taking it, it doesn’t matter.

“I am a double Olympic champion (in the 100m), I’m delighted with my performance. I have never been this fast. I’m very happy with what I’ve accomplished in 2021.”

The evolution of the women’s 100m world record since 1968

Time(seconds), Athlete, Nationality, Date

10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner, USA, July 16, 1988

10.76 Evelyn Ashford, USA, August 22, 1984

10.79 Evelyn Ashford, USA July 3, 1983

10.81 Marlies Göhr, East Germany, June 8, 1983

10.88 Marlies Göhr, East Germany, July 9, 1982

10.88 Marlies Oelsner, East Germany, July 1, 1977

11.01 Annegret Richter, West Germany, July 25, 1976

11.04 Inge Helten, West Germany, June 13, 1976

11.07 Renate Stecher, East Germany, September 2, 1972

11.07 Wyomia Tyus, USA, October 15, 1968