2. Dafne Schippers vs Elaine Thompson & Tori Bowie
It is really hard to predict who will emerge tops in a battle involving Dafne Schippers, Elaine Thompson and Tori Bowie. All three ladies are undoubtedly the best crop of young athletes around, and the women’s 100 and 200m look like a straight fight between them.
Since last year that each got a medal at the World Championships in Beijing, they have evolved and are dominating. They have beaten each other at some point in the season, and are no doubt habouring thoughts of crossing the finish line first when they square up in Rio.
Schippers has moved from being a former Heptathlete to totally dominating the 200m. Remember that she’s the reigning World Champion in that distance, running 21.63s, the 3rd fastest time in history, not forgetting that she is a Silver medallist in the 100m.
The Dutch athlete has gotten better and will remain the favorite for GOLD in the 200m, especially when considered that she has two of the three fastest times this year. Schippers raced to a Meeting Record (MR) of 21.93s to win the 200m at the Oslo Diamond League.
However, let’s also factor in Torie Bowie who has the second fastest time in the 200m this year. The American defeated Schippers when they met at the Eugene Diamond League (DL), clocking a then World Lead (WL) of 21.99s. This was coming just weeks after Bowie had also beaten her in the 100m at the Doha DL, so one can’t miss out her credentials to either title.
Bowie has the 5th and 6th fastest times of 10.78s and 10.80s in the 100m this year, and if you put into account how she came from being a dark horse to world 100m Bronze medallist, then you will understand how a big threat she is.
Where does Thompson figure in all these? After winning the Jamaican National Trials, Thompson will be going to the Olympics as the fastest woman with a time of 10.70s, and yes she looks like a sure bet for glory. No doubt Jamaica has unearthed a worthy successor to Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, even before her retirement.
Fraser-Pryce has been battling with injuries and struggling to find her form, but Thompson has given Jamaica hopes that the 100m Olympic title could still stay in their country.
Although Thompson is yet to run a sub 22s in the 200m this year, she is currently ranked 4th in the event and has the 7th fastest time of 22.16s, which she ran at the Eugene Diamond League, finishing 3rd behind Bowie and Schippers.
Thompson last year didn’t compete in the 100m in Beijing after her coach said she wasn’t ready to the double then. Nevertheless she went on to finish 2nd behind Schippers in the 200m, clocking 21.66 just 0.03s shy of Schippers’ winning time. This year, she looks like she’s is ready for the double.
On paper, it looks like Thompson has the 100m locked down, Schippers the 200m in the bag. However, Bowie wouldn’t mind them not having the favourite tags in either event as she will no doubt have a strong conviction from within that she has moved up from being a dark horse to a major contender.
