OlympicTalk on NBC has ranked the women competing in outdoor track and field events in 2020. In a year impacted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the top-ranked performer lists brought unpredictable results as some Olympic favorites have refrained from competition due to the coronavirus. However, even in this environment, two Jamaican women have been ranked highest in the 100-meter event.

Elaine Thompson-Herah
Elaine Thompson-Herah

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah took the top spot on the NBC list for 2020 with her time of 10.85 seconds in the 100 meters. Closely following Thompson-Herah is Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with a time of 10.86 seconds for the distance. In seven of the past nine years, with Thompson-Herah or Fraser-Pryce having recorded the world’s fastest times in the 100 meters. Only in 2014 and 2018 did neither tun the world’s fastest time.

Thompson-Herah went on to win the 100 meters in the last Diamond League competition of 2020 in Doha with a time of 10.87 seconds only eight days after achieving the world-leading time of 10.85 seconds in Rome. She took gold in both the 100 meters and 200 meters at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Rounding out the top five performers in the 100 meters were Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States with 10.95 seconds, Aleia Hobbs of the US with 11.12 seconds, and Hannah Cunliffe of the US with 11.14 seconds. Richardson ranked third for a second consecutive year and is considered to be the “best hope” for the US to obtain an Olympic 100-meter title since Gail Devers won it in 1996.

Elaine Thompson-Herah also ranked third worldwide in the 200 meters on the NBC list for 2020 with a time of 22 seconds. In first and second sports was Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas with 21.98 seconds and Sha’Carri Richardson of the US with 22 seconds. Americans Lynna Irby and Quanera Hayes completed the top five rankings in the 200 meters with times of 22. 47 and 22.80, respectively.

Photo: Deposit Photos

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