Jamaica’s two-time sprint double Olympic Games gold medallist, Elaine Thompson-Herah was named Female Athlete of the year by the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) following her outstanding 2021 season capped by three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, in August.
Thompson-Herah successfully defended her sprint double titles running Olympic Games records of 10.54 seconds and 21.53 seconds in the 100 metres and 200 metres respectively, and was a member of the women’s 4×100 metres relay team that won the gold medal.
American shot putter, Ryan Crouser, who set world records in the indoor and outdoor shot put, was named the Male Athlete of the Year.
Thompson-Herah and Crouser also won Diamond League awards.
A release from NACAC said the 29-year-old Thompson-Herah’s “2021 season will go down in history as she produced one of the greatest runs of excellence of all time. Within the span of just over three weeks, between the end of July and late August, she won two individual gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Her 100 metres win came in an Olympic record time of 10.61 seconds, while her 200 metres victory four days later was in a Jamaica record time of 21.53 seconds.
