Despite Losing to Sha’Carri Richardson, Elaine Thompson-Herah Captures US Track & Field Legend’s Heart: “She’s Playing Possum”

Will Elaine Thompson-Herah repeat her Tokyo heroics in Paris? If the start to her season is anything to go by, she may struggle to achieve a historic triple double. But on the other hand, her start mirrors how she got off in 2021 and we know what she achieved that year. While several fans have come up with differing interpretations about her ninth place finish at the Prefontaine Classic, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Grenn think otherwise.

In a recent podcast episode, the duo tried to analyze Herah’s technical nitty gritty and the explanation they came up with is sure to blow fans’ minds.

Will history repeat itself for Elaine Thompson-Herah after a poor start to the season?

Sitting down for an episode of the Tidal League podcast, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green decided to go dissect Elaine Thompson’s recent performance. Her time of 11.30s saw her finish ninth, way behind rival Sha’Carri Richardson, who came out on top with a time of 10.83s. 

While taking a glance at Thompson’s run, Gatlin and Green proposed that Thompson was deliberately slowing herself down.

Green initially stated, “What if she playing possum for her competitors?” Green opined that Herah was deliberately holding herself back while trying to trick her competitors. This way, her opponents would fail to realize her potential, while she preserves herself for the bigger occasion. Gatlin immediately took over from Green, and stated, “Boy that’s a big possum boy. To go out there and close the gate and to run 11.30… that is a big possum.” 

They both agreed on the fact that Herah was really quick with her start and then, as the race proceeded, she lost her momentum rapidly. Green even theorized that her coach might have asked her to work on her start off the blocks and asked her to take it easy. “She was the field for like 20, 25 and then it looked like she ran basically a tech 100 after that. Technique for her, because her caliber, I’ve seen it, it is so high.”

Herah has won five gold medals across two Olympics in both 100m and 200m and earned Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 as well. Interestingly, her success in Tokyo, which saw her became a triple Olympic champion, came after a similar start in 2021. That year in the 100m contest Velocity Fest, she took 11.21 seconds to finish the race, though it did earn her the top spot. Moreover, that year also saw her earn her the tag of ‘the fastest woman alive’ at the Prefontaine Classic, where she finished first with a time of 10.54s.

This time around her quest for gold will be challenged by a determined Sha’Carri Richardson, who is beginning to hit form at the right time.

Will Sha’Carri Richardson thwart Thompson Herah’s attempt at history

In Paris, Elaine Thompson-Herah will attempt to become first athlete to replicate Usain Bolt’s triple-double feat at the Olympics. Standing in her way will be Sha’Carri Richardson, motivated by the pain of missing out on Tokyo Olympics due to a failed drug test. Richardson, herself had an indifferent start to the season, with a second place finish at the Xiamen Diamond League and third place at the Shanghai Diamond League in the 200m races.

But she came roaring back at the Prefontaine Classic in her 100m debut this season. With 10.83 seconds, she set the second-fastest time in the world this year, behind Jacious Sears, who clocked 10.77 on April 13, at the Tom Jones Memorial. Richardson appeared determined at the end of the race and said, “I’m growing, developing and just getting ready to make that USA Team.”

Meanwhile, Thompson-Herah summed up her Prefontaine performance as “the first step in the journey of a thousand mile.” While history is on her side, Richardson will be determined to carve her own place in the record books in Paris. For now, Herah’s competitors will hope that Rodney Green’s theory isn’t true, and that she was not indeed playing possum.