Summary
The field included six of the top 25 women in history, three of whom set their personal bests earlier in the season. The defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was rounding into form having defended her 100m title three days earlier. The world leader coming into the Olympics was Gabrielle Thomas, who ran the #2 time in history to win the US Trials. Two unknown commodities were Namibian teenagers Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma, who had run exceptional 400m times earlier in the season, but less than a month before the Olympics, they were blocked from running in that event due to their having excess natural testosterone. The 200 metres was their back up event because it is exempted from the rule's limited range of events.
In the second heat, Masilingi set the National Record. In the fourth heat, Mboma broke it, in the process surprising Thomas. What was particularly shocking was the terrible start of Mboma, with Thomas making up the stagger in the first few steps of the race, and the awkward but blazing speed she had in the last half of the race. Returning silver medalist Dafne Schippers failed to qualify in the first semi-final, where Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Masilingi did. In the second semi, Thompson-Herah equalled her personal best, but behind her with superior top end speed was Mboma, again beating Thomas while setting the world junior record at 21.97.
In the final, Fraser-Pryce had a rocket start as would be predictable considering her history, three lanes outside of her in a matching Jamaican uniform, Thompson-Herah was keeping pace. In stark contrast, Mboma trailed the field with Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Masilingi. Coming off the turn, Thomas was barely behind Fraser-Pryce and Thompson-Herah. From there, Thompson-Herah pulled away as Thomas slowly chipped away at Fraser-Pryce's slight advantage. Miller-Uibo's closing speed was not present, but Mboma's was, rocketing past four of the top sprinters in the world in a different gear. Mboma passed Fraser-Pryce and Thomas ten metres out, beating Thomas for the third time to take silver. Thomas beat Fraser-Pryce for bronze. [3]
Qualification
A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified athletes in the women's 200 metres event if all athletes meet the entry standard or qualify by ranking during the qualifying period. (The limit of 3 has been in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress.) The qualifying standard is 22.80 seconds. This standard was "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The world rankings, based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period and weighted by the importance of the meet, will then be used to qualify athletes until the cap of 56 is reached. [2] [4]
The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The world rankings period start date was also changed from 1 May 2019 to 30 June 2020; athletes who had met the qualifying standard during that time were still qualified, but those using world rankings would not be able to count performances during that time. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Both indoor and outdoor meets were eligible for qualification. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period. [2] [5]
NOCs can also use their universality place—each NOC can enter one female athlete regardless of time if they had no female athletes meeting the entry standard for an athletics event—in the 200 metres. [2]
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