EUGENE, June 27 — Rising US sprint star Gabby Thomas became the second-fastest woman over 200m in history yesterday with a superb victory at the US Olympic trials in Oregon.
The 24-year-old Harvard graduate stormed home at Hayward Field in 21.61sec, the fastest time in the world this year.
Only the late Florence Griffith-Joyner — whose world record of 21.34sec from the drug-tarnished 1988 Olympic Games remains intact — has ever run faster.
Thomas had already set world leading times in the earlier rounds of the 200m in Eugene.
However she saved her best for last, taking the lead coming off the bend and powering home with her arms aloft in celebration.
Jenna Prandini took second in 21.89sec while youngster Anavia Battle took third in 21.95sec.
Veteran sprint queen Allyson Felix, who had already assured herself of a place at the Olympics in the 400m last week, finished in fifth. — AFP
