KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Jamaica’s new sprint super star, Elaine Thompson, has conceded that she is not focused on breaking the women’s 100 metre world record since it is currently beyond her reach at the moment.
Thompson, who copped the sprint double in her first Olympics as well as relay silver, was speaking at a ceremony this week for Olympians, coaches and the support team of her track club.
The 24-year-old sprinter says she is comfortable making her mark on the global stage with her own fast times.
The women’s world record of 10.49 seconds was set by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.
“That record is really far from me right now,” Thompson told the media.
“So I think that also contributes to the reasons why we don’t get that much respect because we don’t run a lot of world records or fast times”.
Thompson has personal bests of 10.70, which is also a Jamaican national record, and 21.66 over 200 metres.
She swept the 100m gold from training partner and former champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, while outclassing Dutch athlete Dafne Schippers for the 200m gold in Rio.
“But I mean, 10.70 and 10.60 is also a good time for a female,” Thompson pointed out.
“But looking at 10.49, it’s unbelievable and way out of our lines, so I think the times have something to do with it as well”.
Thompson ended a brilliant season with a 10.72-second victory in the 100m to win the Diamond Trophy in Brussels last Friday while raking in US 100,000 to finish as one of the league’s top ten money earners.
