The women's 100 metres event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 30 and 31 July 2021 at the Japan National Stadium.

[2] The defending champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, won the event in 10.61 secs, to break Florence Griffith-Joyner's 33-year-old Olympic record.

Early in May, two time Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made a categorical statement that her career is not over.

Thirteen years after her first gold medal, she ran not only her personal best, but the number 2 mark of all time 10.63.

The heats revealed Marie-Josée Ta Lou was ready to be in the mix, setting the African record at 10.78 to lead the round.

Three metres out from the finish, Thompson-Herah held up her left arm celebrating a clear victory.

Fraser-Pryce had too much of a lead for Jackson to reach her but she completed the sweep for Jamaica, the trio .15 ahead of the next competitor Ta Lou.

[4] Thompson-Herah joined Wyomia Tyus, Gail Devers and Fraser-Pryce as the only women to defend their 100 metres title.

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.

[1] The preliminary round of the competition featured athletes who had not achieved the required qualifying time for the event.