Jamaican Sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah Wins 2 Olympic Golds, Becomes the First Woman Ever to Win the ‘Double-Double’

“You were born to win. But to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win.”

Elaine Thompson-Herah was born in 1992 is a Jamaican sprinter who competes in 100m and 200m races. She began racing competitively at her high school, after which she was recruited by the University of Technology, Jamaica, and began training under coach Stephen Francis. 

It was Coach Francis who motivated her to pursue track seriously. “He told me I could do better in training and that I was not producing the times on the track that I should be. He told me not to be scared of people, be less serious, smile more and shake it up.” It was this advice that made Thompson-Herah commit 100% to her sport. Till today she continues to credit her coach for most of her success, saying that “he saw something in me that I did not”, writes the IOC. 

International career

Thompson-Herah made her international debut in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she won a silver in the 4×100m relay. She made her World Championship debut in 2015, where she won gold in the 4×100m relay and silver in the 200m individual race. According to World Athletics, between 2016-2020, Thompson-Herah has won gold at the Diamond League 23 times! She is a 14-time 100m race champion, 5-time 200m champion, and 4-time 4×100m relay champion at the Diamond League.

Thompson-Herah competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning gold in the 100m and the 200m race. She was the first female Jamaican and only the 7th overall in Olympic history to win both 100 and 200m races. She also won silver in the relay race. 

Playing through the pain

In 2018, she suffered from an injury to her lower leg which was made worse by her competing in the 2019 World championships, according to Wikipedia. This has affected much of her ability to train long days and has continued to affect her. 

Tokyo Olympics

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Thompson-Herah won the 100m and 200m races for the second consecutive time and thus achieved the ‘double-double.’ She is the first woman ever to win back-to-back Olympic 100m and 200m gold medals in the second-fastest time in the world. The Jamaican sprinter’s historic achievement has made her a symbol of strength, hard work, passion, and empowerment. This is a trailblazing victory, inspiring a new generation of aspiring female athletes across the globe. 

#GCPWishesElaineThompson-Herah #GCPAWishesOlympians

Team Global Child Prodigy Congratulates Elaine Thompson-Herah for winning Gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This will inspire millions of people worldwide, including children who aspire to be like her. 

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