The American athlete soon found herself challenged by Dina Asher-Smith, who had strong backing from the home crowd at London Stadium, eager for a British victory. Asher-Smith made a quick start and led from the beginning, but started to lose pace in the final stretch. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia surged ahead just meters before the finish line.
Thomas’ unexpected performance brought some order to the race. Despite initially falling behind with a slow start around the curve, she managed to accelerate and surpass her competitors. Her comeback not only secured her first place but also set a new record at London Stadium with a time of 21.82 seconds, breaking the previous record of 22.10 seconds set by Elaine Thompson-Herah in 2015.
In the final standings, Alfred finished a close second with a personal best of 21.86 seconds, while Asher-Smith held on to third place, crossing the finish line 21 hundredths of a second later. British sprinter Daryll Neita also participated but did not make it onto the podium.
Thomas’ dominant performance positions her as a formidable contender for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, set to begin in less than two weeks. Reflecting on her achievement, Thomas expressed satisfaction and confidence, saying, “I feel really good. It’s given me confidence heading into the Paris Games. Considering everything, racing in this stadium with such incredible support was a great experience for me. This is probably my favorite Diamond League event; it’s just so enjoyable.”
For Alfred, who is also gearing up for the 100m after her recent victory at the Monaco Diamond League, the outcome was somewhat surprising. “I’m not sure what to think,” she commented after the race.
“I felt strong during the race. I’ll head back to Monaco to train before Paris. I’d love to medal in both events, but the main thing is to enjoy it. It’s my first Games, so having fun is important.”
With the Paris athletics program approaching quickly, Thomas, Alfred, and Asher-Smith are all poised for a fiercely competitive season ahead. At 27 years old, Thomas boasts an impressive resume with significant achievements, including two medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and multiple accolades at recent world championships and relays.
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