It took every hundredth and her best time of the season to do it, but Tori Bowie successfully captured the women’s 100-meter title at the IAAF World Championships.
In an incredible race between a stacked field in London, TB appeared destined for a runner-up finish, but one final lunge sent the adidas sprinter across the line a hundredth of a second ahead of Marie-Josée Ta Lou.
“I don’t know where the finish comes from. I guess just hunger, determination, motivation,” Tori said afterward. “The last 40 meters is the best part of my race.”
After edging her rival from Côte d’Ivoire, Tori immediately collapsed onto the track to catch her breath. She knew she had earned a spot on the podium, though she didn’t know she beat Ta Lou to the line, along with third-place finisher Dafne Schippers of The Netherlands, and reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica.
It was an emotional win for the Sand Hill, Mississippi native.
“Best night of my life,” Tori said. “I’m probably the only one who thought I could come out and win the 100. I learned a lot tonight. I learned to always follow your heart.”
Looking forward, Tori is scheduled to run in the eighth heat of the women’s 200m on Tuesday, though she said after winning the 100m that she’s still undecided. She did confirm that she will run the 4x100m relay, which takes place the final day of competition, Saturday, Aug. 12.