By Nick Mulvenney TOKYO (Reuters) -American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became the fourth woman to complete the sprint double at the world championships with victory in the 200 metres in 21.68 seconds on Friday. The 24-year-old American ran the fastest time of the year to cap a dominant season with another gold medal to add to the […]
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Athletics-Dominant Jefferson-Wooden lands Tokyo sprint double with 200m gold
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By Nick Mulvenney
TOKYO (Reuters) -American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became the fourth woman to complete the sprint double at the world championships with victory in the 200 metres in 21.68 seconds on Friday.
The 24-year-old American ran the fastest time of the year to cap a dominant season with another gold medal to add to the one she won in the 100m on Sunday.
“I came out here and I did exactly what I set out to do,” she said.
“Not a lot of women double anymore, so for me to come here, do the double and win gold medals just says a lot. I’m now looking forward to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. I definitely put a target on my back.”
Britain’s Amy Hunt was a distant second to earn her first individual global medal with silver in 22.14, while bronze went to double defending champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica in 22.18.
Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas was disqualified for a false start and the race eventually got away at the second attempt with Jefferson-Wooden soon settling into the smooth style that has distinguished her performances this year.
She was clearly out in front coming off the bend and maintained her even stride to finish five metres clear of Hunt, who ran a brilliant final 100m to edge 31-year-old Jackson at the line.
“I have not stopped smiling or crying,” Hunt, 23, said. “As soon as I saw my mum, I burst into tears.
“I knew I could do it – as long as I put in a good turn and was with them off the bend. I am so proud of myself.”
DELAYED ATHLETICS CAREER WORKS OUT FOR HUNT
Hunt said her medal vindicated the decision to delay her athletics career to study for a degree in English at Cambridge University.
“That is my message for young people – you don’t have to give up education,” she said. “You can be an academic bad ass and a track goddess. You can be the best in everything.”
Olympic champion Gaby Thomas missed the championships due to an Achilles injury and Julien Alfred, silver medallist in Paris last year, withdrew with a hamstring tear after the 100m.
Jefferson-Wooden will be in no mood to entertain any asterisks though after scooping her first two global titles in a magnificent week at the National Stadium.
She matched Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2015) and Germans Silke Gladisch (1987) and Katrin Krabbe (1991) by winning both sprints at the same world championships and is still hungry for more success in Tokyo.
“It’s such an honour to be able to be written in the history books that way,” she said.
“To be able to win the double is amazing. The last one to do so was Shelly-Ann and that speaks volumes.
“Obviously, we have one more medal that we’re going for in the relay, but so far, so good.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Additional reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Alex Richardson and Ken Ferris)