Moments before the women's 100-meter final at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, a tension hung in the air. The athletes swayed their hips back and forth, some looking worried, others looking calm, while a stadium light show hyped up the meet's first marquee event. In a highly anticipated final featuring eight of the fastest women in the world, their pent-up energy behind the starting line was palpable.
Then, just under 11 seconds later, it was all over.
Elaine Thompson-Herah crossed the finish line in 10.61 seconds, defending her Olympic title, breaking the Olympic record and upsetting one of the best sprinters of all time.