Elaine Thompson-Herah: "I want to retain my titles"

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who grabbed gold in both the 100m and 200m at Rio 2016, will be looking to defend her sprint titles at Tokyo 2020.

"I really want to capture back my double at the Olympics,” speaking on the Drive Phase Podcast with host Dalton Myers as published on Sportsmax.tv

As the first Jamaican and the seventh woman to win the 100m/200m at an Olympic Games, Thompson-Herah knows the key to her victory next year would be to stay in tip top shape.

“(Being) healthy is key because when I am healthy I am in the best shape of my life, I don’t think I have reached that yet. I just want to maintain that health."

“I want to retain my titles.”

Last month, Thompson-Herah reminisced about her triumphs in Rio.

"History created on this day when I broke a 28-year-old record of capturing gold in the 200m. The first Jamaican in history to win double gold in the 100 and 200 at the Olympics."

Return to form

In July, Thompson-Herah returned to the track scene after months of downtime due to training restrictions in Jamaica as part of COVID-19 measures.

At the seventh meet at Velocity Fest in Kingston, Jamaica on 30 August, she dominated the 200m clocking 22.79 and another victory, after also producing a 22.19 in the fifth meet of the series three weeks prior.

She is also looking in good form for the 100m as she clocked 10.88 in the same meet which was the second fastest of this year's world list. Two weeks before this, she ran a 10.73 but the time was not legal due to the wind measurement.

Running below 10.7

At the last two World Championships, Thompson-Herah suffered from calf and Achilles injuries which prevented her from topping the podium.

If aiming for her next double titles isn't enough, Thompson-Herah is also looking forward to beating her personal best in the 100m and 200m.

“I still want to get below that 10.7 barrier," she said.

“I think I have it in me. It’s just about the time for it to come.”

Currently Thompson-Herah shares Jamaica's national record of 10.70 with another Olympic legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

For the 200m, she wants to go below her 21.66 personal best.

“Once I am healthy anything is possible,” she said.