Good to the Last Drop

Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Take a look at the finish of the women's 100m.

Torie Bowie (lane 7, US) wins 100m over Marie-Josee Ta Lou (lane 4, Ivory Coast)

Note the positions of Bowie and Ta Lou.

Bowie is leaning forward so far that she lost control of her footing.

Ta Lou is straight up and almost leaning back.

There it is: the difference in the race.

1/100th of a second.

Here is what happens next:

Bowie's momentum causes her to fall after the finish line.

Here is the difference 1/100th of a second can make in someone's life:

Bowie and Ta Lou embrace after the final results were posted.

Yes, silver can be a bitter disappointment.

Bowie's finish is reminiscent of Emily Infeld's (US) in the 2015 Beijing 10,000m when she ran through the finish line to nab bronze from Molly Huddle (US). It also conjures a vision of Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) throwing herself across the line of the women's 400m in Rio to nip Allyson Felix (US) in one of the most stirring 400m races ever run. 

This 100m was surely its equal.

Photos courtesy of and copyright by Getty Images/IAAF.
Thank you.