Thompson-Herah seals Commonwealth double as Ofili claims silver

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah rocketed to a sprint double at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday ahead of Nigeria’s Favour Ofili (silver), with Namibia’s Olympic silver medallist Christine Mboma taking bronze.

The Jamaican sprint star, 30, was the headline act on the penultimate night of track and field competition in Birmingham and did not disappoint the capacity crowd, destroying the field to win the women’s 200m in a Games record of 22.02sec.

“I was going for a Games record in the 100 and it didn’t work so I said, ‘I must get it in the 200’,” said Thompson-Herah.

“I’m grateful to claim that gold today, the day we celebrate Independence Day in Jamaica.”

Thompson-Herah topped the podium at last year’s Tokyo Olympics in both the 100m and 200m, retaining the titles she had won in Rio four years earlier.

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But she only took bronze in the 100m behind compatriots Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson at last month’s world championships and finished seventh in the 200m final.

“I knew I had more races to come. I’m not a quitter,” said Thompson-Herah of her disappointing world championships results.

– ‘Learn, keep going’ –

“It’s a motivation for me to continue to learn and just keep going.”

Thompson-Herah, who won the 100m earlier in the Games, faced a tough task on paper in the 200m final despite the absence of her Jamaican rivals.