Elaine Thompson-Herah withdraws from Diamond League season debut

Elaine Thompson-Herah, the Olympic 100m and 200m champion, withdrew before what would have been her Diamond League season debut on Saturday after discomfort in training.

Thompson-Herah pulled out of the meet in Birmingham, Great Britain (broadcast info here), out of an abundance of caution and plans to return to competition “in short order,” according to her management agency.

She was due to race the 100m against a field including Olympic bronze medalist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, world silver medalist Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain and Americans Gabby Thomas (Olympic 200m bronze medalist) and Cambrea Sturgis, who ranks third in the world this year.

Last year, Thompson-Herah joined Usain Bolt as the only sprinters to sweep the 100m and 200m at multiple Olympics. She ran the second-fastest times in history in the 100m and 200m, trailing only Florence Griffith-Joyner‘s world records from 1988.

Thompson-Herah ran her 100m personal best at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, a 10.54 that is five hundredths off Griffith-Joyner’s record. As a Nike-sponsored athlete, she is expected to race at Pre again next week, if she’s healthy.

Thompson-Herah could get another crack at a fast time on the Eugene track at the world championships in July.

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