Tori Bowie has completed a hat-trick of medals at major championships after out-dipping Marie Josee Ta Lou to win the women’s 100m title in 10.85s on Day 3 of the ongoing IAAF World Championships in London.
It was particularly painful to watch how Ta Lou finished 2nd in 10.86s, losing by just 0.01s, when she was clearly ahead of the field in the last 30m. However, when she started looking at the timing device, Bowie dived in to cross the line before her.
Hello,
Merci à DIEU et à tous, médaillée d’Argent à la finale des 100m en 10"86!#MJTL @JUMO_WeMo#TALOULondres2017 #CIVSport #Team225 #CIV pic.twitter.com/8FfAVP5ndi— TA LOU Marie Josée (@majo10s70) August 6, 2017
For Elaine Thompson who had arrived London as the championship favourite, it was surprising to see the Olympic Champion finishing outside of the podium placements in 5th with a time of 10.98s.
Dafne Schippers who wasn’t given a chance by many, won Bronze with a time of 10.96s as another Ivorian, Murielle Ahoure finished a respectable 4th in 10.98s.
For Bowie, it is now a steady progression from 2015 when she won Bronze in Beijing, Silver in Rio and now GOLD in London to make it a complete sweep of 100m medals in two years. Bowie acknowledged that she didn’t realize she had won immediately after the race, adding that she just wanted to cross the line.
The career progression of Ta Lou since last year has been very impressive, now improving from her 4th place finish at Rio Olympics, and now an athlete of repute, going toe to toe with some of the best in the world.
Ta Lou and Bowie will go head to head in the 200m, with Schippers also in the mix and Shaunae Miller-Uibo looking to equally challenge for a podium placement in this event.
If the 100m has shown us anything about the Ivorian, it is that Ta Lou has come to stay, and who knows she might pull off an upset in the final.
