Hurdler Camacho-Quinn cherishes Olympic gold for Puerto Rico

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won starting time identify in the women's 100m hurdle on Monday — Puerto Rico'south kickoff-ever gold medal in track and field.

The 24-year-old athlete redeemed herself five years after she was disqualified from the Olympics when she crashed into a hurdle.

She crush Team USA's Keni Harrison by .15 seconds in a historic upset that shattered Harrison'due south previous world tape in the result and made her the 2nd Puerto Rican athlete in history to win a gilded medal.

"It really means a lot," Camacho-Quinn said following the win.

"This year I trained actually hard. I don't have a training partner, I railroad train past myself, so I gave it all I had and this is what I wanted for this year. I wanted to exist a gold medalist and I got information technology."

Puerto Rico, a The states territory, competes under their own flag in the Olympics and while Camacho-Quinn was born in South Carolina and raised in the US, her mother is from the island and the runner wanted to correspond her heritage.

Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (C) missed a hurdle at the 2016 Olympics and was disqualified 5 years ago. — Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (C) missed a hurdle at the 2016 Olympics and was disqualified 5 years agone.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico reacts after being disqualified in the Rio 2016 Games. — Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico reacts later on being disqualified in the Rio 2016 Games.

"I am pretty sure everybody [in Puerto Rico] is excited," the athlete said, according to People.

"For such a small [territory] it gives lilliputian people hope. I am just glad I am the person to do that."

In 2016, Camacho-Quinn failed to advance to the finals in Rio de Janeiro later on she crashed into a hurdle and was disqualified from the event.

"I felt embarrassed, like I let the whole state down," she said previously.

On Mon, she admitted the disqualification nevertheless stings and was concerned history would repeat itself in Tokyo.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn clears a hurdle on her way winning the Women's 100m Hurdles final at the 2020 Games. — Jasmine Camacho-Quinn clears a hurdle on her style winning the Women's 100m Hurdles terminal at the 2020 Games.

"It stays with me all the time because I am constantly reminded. Somebody ever messages me and says pitiful for what happened. Yesterday I kind of had a breakdown because I didn't want the same thing to happen once more," Camacho-Quinn said.

Despite the force per unit area that comes with competing in the Olympics, the runner tried to remember what she learned in her do sessions and continue a articulate caput.

"I only had to care for every race like there is no divergence to any other competition. Just considering it'due south the Olympics doesn't mean you should modify up something," the athlete explained.