Tuesday, August 03, 2021
Questionable 200 meter show
Fortunately not a world record
By Tobias Nordmann
After the phenomenal semifinals, anything else would have been a surprise: Gold over 200 meters went to Elaine Thompson-Herah at the Olympic Games in Tokyo after 2016 in Rio. The Jamaican’s time is sensational again, but not a world record. That’s kind of good news.
Perhaps they themselves were shocked by the power of images. So they did better now. As soon as the sprint over 200 meters was over, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce went to Elaine Thompon-Herah and hugged her Jamaican colleague, the new old Olympic champion. Not particularly warm, but at least a little. That looked a lot less like anger and resentment than on Saturday.
After Thompson-Herah’s triumph over 100 meters, she was mercilessly left alone by her colleagues. The looks, full of cold. Then there was a pat on the shoulder. The highest form of recognition in an apparently unfriendly Jamaica team. In fact, the two super sprinters don’t like each other, they just respect each other. At best.
The second colleague who, besides Fraser-Pryce, couldn’t and didn’t want to be happy for Thompson-Herah was Shericka Jackson. Even over 200 meters she would have been a woman for the final. But she had gambled away brutally in the run-up, had slowed down much too early and without any need and was severely punished. She made it to the semi-finals neither by her place nor by her time. That turned into a really big show for the new Olympic champion. The 27-year-old rushed over the ultra-fast Mondo track with ease, reminiscent of the greatest sprinter there has ever been. To the legendary and controversial Florence Griffith-Joyner. Thompson-Herah made the run look so phenomenally casual that there was still plenty of untapped potential.
Nobody would have been surprised if the 33-year-old record of the long-dead legend had also fallen on this Tuesday evening (local time). After Karsten Warholm had already created over 400 meter hurdles for a surreal time at noon (local time). The Norwegian was the first person ever to stay under 46 seconds over this distance. But the best time in history did not fall. Thompson-Herah dominated the race, in which she only had to fear serious competition from Fraser-Pryce and the American Gabrielle Thomas up to halfway, but in the end she was 19 hundredths short. As a consolation for the missed world record, the Jamaican is now at least two fastest in the books, with 21.53 seconds.
The end of a long period of suffering
Indeed, amazing things have happened in Tokyo’s fast-paced competitions over the past few days. Among other things, the spectacular and completely unexpected success of Marcell Jacobs over 100 meters. Explaining all of these amazing things in terms of the new generation of spikes on the shoes and the high-tech track is difficult. Really very difficult. The past is far too burdened. Sinner after sinner are in the lists. And there are sure to be more. As a result of the pandemic, WADA was able to carry out around 45 percent fewer doping tests. An invitation. In addition, a ZDF research shows that the tight-knit control network right after the competitions in the stadium is by no means as tight-knit as it should be. Even when medals have been stripped of and records have been annulled, the first phenomenal, then dubious stories of sinners are known. Maybe that’s why it’s particularly good news that the all-time mark of 21.34 seconds is still there.
Also that of “Flo-Jo”, as the sprint legend Griffith-Joyner was called. She was never convicted of doping, but there was no shortage of suspicions and serious accusations. Amazing gains, amazing muscle growth and a changed voice, that combined a lot that weighed on the American. She was harmed. In 1989, the year after her double gold medal at the Seoul Olympics, she ended her career. Her resignation at the performance point came shortly after the introduction of doping controls also outside of the competitions. Of course, new suspicions were raised. “Flo-Jo” also survived this unscathed because it was not transferred.
Whenever a woman walks even delicately into the orbit of the dimensions of the American sprint icon, mistrust follows behind as a shadow that cannot be shaken off. As with Thompon-Herah, who had dominated the short sprint distance in an astonishing, miraculous way. What has now been manifested over 200 meters also applies over 100 meters: the 27-year-old Jamaican is the second fastest woman in the world. After the double from Rio, she’s now also getting the double from Tokyo. “Oh my god, it’s unbelievable that I did it again. It feels great to win two gold medals again,” said Thompson-Herah after her historic success: “I’ve had a tough week. But that’s how I am , so happy.” Even without a new world record.
Between the happy moments in Brazil and the now happy moments in Tokyo, however, there was also a period of long suffering. Massive problems with the Achilles tendon repeatedly forced her to take longer breaks. Participation in competitions always ended with tears and severe pain. Only in 2019 did she return to the top of the world with strong times.
The rules for testosterone
The Namibian super talent Christine Mboma is now finally involved. In the equally amazing time of 21.81 seconds, she took silver, while Gabrielle Thomas from the USA came in third (21.87). She had been best of the year in the world before the games. In the bitter fourth place, Fraser-Pryce was another runner under 22 seconds. Something like this had only happened once in Olympic history, at “Flo-Jos” Wunderlauf 1988. At that time there were also Grace Jackson (Jamaica), Heike Drechsler (GDR) and Merlene Ottey (also Jamaica) remained under the magical brand. It was, unfortunately, the sad truth, the heyday of doping. Not only Griffith-Joyner stood in the twilight, but also Drechsler and Ottey.
Today’s fourth, Mboma, also has a special story to tell. The 18-year-old was actually considered the top favorite for gold over 400 meters. But she was denied the right to start in Tokyo because the natural testosterone value is over five nanomoles per liter. According to a controversial rule of the world association, this is too high. That is why she is not allowed to compete internationally in races from 400 meters to the mile – unless she lowers her testosterone level through medication or surgery. A testosterone value above the value of five nanomoles is said to bring an unauthorized advantage over the distances. That doesn’t seem to be the case on the two sprint courses.
The best-known “victim” of this rule is Caster Semenya, the 800-meter Olympic champion from London and Rio. What is quite exciting: Even with Beatrice Masilingi, also 18, also the strongest over 400 meters and also from Namibia, the value is too high. She too is only allowed to run on the short distances, she finished sixth over 200 meters.
Fraser-Pryce experienced another disappointing evening. After her disappointment with silver on the 100-meter course, she had now dyed her mighty head of hair from yellow-orange to green-pink. That was not good as a lucky charm: As the fourth, she now experienced a real disappointment. But she still has a chance for gold: with the 4×100 meter relay, alongside Thompson-Herah of all places.
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