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Eugene, USA: World 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson got her chance at Olympic revenge and punched her ticket to the Paris Olympics by winning the 100m title at the US Track and Field Trials on Saturday.
Three years ago, Richardson was kicked off the U.S. Olympic team for the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. Three years later, Richardson won the women’s 100m final in 10.71 seconds, with Melissa Jefferson second in 10.80 seconds and Tewanesha Terry third in 10.89 seconds.
Richardson took the lead midway through the race and crossed the finish line at the Hayward Airport in Eugene, Oregon, with a wind speed of 0.8 meters per second, setting a world best result this year.
“I feel so honored,” Richardson said. “I feel like every experience I’ve had in my life has prepared me for this moment.”
“I can’t wait to get to Paris and represent France.”
Current men’s 100m world champion Noah Lyles began his quest for Olympic gold by finishing ahead of all semifinalists in the men’s preliminaries with a time of 9.92 seconds.
Richardson hopes to win Olympic gold in the 100m final on August 3 at the Stade de France.
No American woman has won the Olympic 100-meter title since Gail Devers in 1996.
The 24-year-old Texan won Friday’s prelims in 10.88, leading all qualifiers despite a slightly shaky start, and won her semifinals on Saturday in 10.86, besting all finalists despite a slow start.
Richardson (third from left) celebrates after winning. —USA TODAY Sports
She fell behind again at the start but quickly caught up on time and stormed to victory.
“Definitely not the best start, but better than my other rounds,” Richardson said.
Three years ago, Richardson won the U.S. trials in 10.86 and seemed ready for the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.
But her dreams of Olympic gold were dashed when it was revealed she had tested positive for cannabis, was suspended for a month and was barred from competing in the Tokyo Olympics.
Her plans to revive her career at the 2022 World Championships also fell through as she suffered a disastrous defeat at the U.S. trials.
However, Richardson returned to competition with a stunning 100m win at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, clocking a championship record time of 10.65 seconds.
Richardson won her only previous 100-meter title in May at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene in 10.83 seconds.
Lyles easily won the men’s 100m heats in five heats, with 2019 100m world champion Christian Coleman finishing second in 9.99 seconds.
It was a revenge trip for Lyles, who failed to qualify for the 100m final at the Tokyo Olympics and took bronze in the 200m final, his favourite.
“I feel like I just missed a great opportunity,” Lyles said. “The more I think about it, the more I think, ‘Wow, if I hadn’t had that moment, I wouldn’t be where I am now.’”
Lyles knows that even after winning world titles in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay last year, the pressure is on him to succeed in France.
“I knew I needed an Olympic gold medal to get people to notice me,” Lyles said.
The top five finishers in each of the five heats and the next fastest two runners advance to the semifinals, where Sunday’s finalists will be determined.
Lyles broke all the suspense, beating Kenny Bednarek in the first round with a 0.2 m/s tailwind to just 0.08 seconds. He was in no way threatening his season best of 9.85 seconds or his personal best of 9.83 seconds.
“I have to make sure my first 10 steps are strong and open, and then I can get up,” Lyles said.
“I knew I had the quality to compete. I knew I was ahead in the 60m, and that’s why I ran more 60m times this indoor season. From that point on, I was ahead.”
— AFP
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