This marks a significant comeback for Richardson, who was previously barred from the Tokyo2021 Olympics due to a positive drug test for THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.
Her odds appreciated as Jamaican rivals dropped out. First to go was the defending gold medalist, Elaine Thompson-Herah, who didn’t even make it to Paris because of injury. Then Shericka Jackson announced she was skipping the 100 to concentrate on the 200.
The exodus continued practically up to race time as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a two-time gold medalist considered Richardson’s top competition Saturday, pulled out because of an injury in warm-ups.
Before that misfortune became public, speculation ran amok over what happened to Fraser-Pryce, whose lane was empty for the semis.
Earlier, a video on social media showed Fraser-Pryce and Richardson being denied entrance to the stadium through a gate used previously by athletes.
They were then escorted to another gate, but not before the video went viral. On it, Fraser-Pryce could be heard sayingsecurity “changed the rules.”
However, some Americans have slammed the athlete for failing to win gold. One fan criticized Sha’Carri Richardson, mocking her inability to win gold even without facing top competitors, writing:
“No Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce,Shericka Jacksonand Elaine Thompson-Herah but your fav Sha’Carri Richardson still can’t win the women’s 100M.Fraud!!🤣🤣🤣”.
The gold medal in the event went to St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who finished with a time of 10.72 seconds, while Richardson’s fellow American, Melissa Jefferson, secured the bronze medal.
Richardson’s journey to the podium was notable for her slow start, as she took 0.221 seconds to leave the blocks, the slowest among the eight finalists. Despite this, she managed to overtake all competitors except Alfred, showcasing her exceptional speed and resilience.
Richardson’s silver medal performance sets the stage for her potential participation in the 4×100 meter relay, where Team USA last claimed victory during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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