LIMA, Peru — Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica secured the gold medal in the women’s 100m at the Pan American Games on Wednesday’s second day of track and field competition.
Thompson, who won the sprint double at the 2016 Rio Olympics, clocked 11.18 seconds (-0.6m/s) in a slight headwind to crown herself champion on a very chilly evening for sprinting.
The joint World-leader was with the rest of the field at the halfway point but switched gears to move away and cruised to the finishing line for the crown.
Commonwealth Games champion Michelle-Lee Ahye Trinidad and Tobago picked up the silver medal with 11.27, while Vitoria Cristina Rosa of Brazil grabbed the bronze medal in 11.30.
Jamaica also landed gold in the women’s 800m after Natoya Goule won her first major senior title with a 2 minutes 01.26 seconds performance.
Goule battled with Rose Marie Almanza down the home stretch before sprinting away from the Cuban.
Almanza finished second in 2:01.64 with Uruguay’s Deborah Rodriquez earning the bronze in 2:01.66 seconds.
Meanwhile, American Michael Rodgers won the men’s 100m in 10.09 seconds, beating Paulo Andre Camilo de Oliveira of Brazil who ran 11.16 and Antiguan sprinter Cejhae Greene (10.23).
Cuban Juan Miguel Echevarria finished on top in the men’s long jump with a fourth-round effort of 8.27m.
Jamaican champion Tajay Gayle, who led for two rounds, was pushed back into the silver medal position with 8.17m. Gayle had a big jump in the final round but over-stepped the take-off board.