Sha'Carri Richardson denied chance to run in 200m Paris Olympic final despite clinching 100m silver

Despite securing silver in the women's 100m final at the Paris Olympics, Sha'Carri Richardson won't be able to represent Team USA in Tuesday's 200m final, for quite a peculiar reason .

Richardson, aged 24, didn't qualify for the event after coming fourth at the US Olympic track trials back in June . Her Team USA teammate, Gabby Thomas, won the qualifier with a time of 21.81 seconds.

Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long finished second and third, respectively, with Richardson just behind after recording a time of 22.16 seconds.

• Viral pole vaulter discusses Olympic setback after unusual incident costs him a medal
• Simone Biles aims brutal swipe at ex-team-mate after Olympic gold medal win

This meant that Richardson wasn't eligible to compete in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, but she did qualify for the 100m and 4x100m relay.

Thomas, Brown, and Long have all qualified for Tuesday's 200m final, with Thomas clocking the best time (21.86) in the semi-final heats. Her time was the fastest across all semi-final contests, making her one of the favorites to win the gold medal.

ALL THE LATEST OLYMPICS NEWS AND UPDATES

Richardson made a name for herself in 2019 as a freshman at LSU and broke the 100m collegiate record at the NCAA Division I Championships with a time of 10.75 seconds. This placed her within the top ten fastest women aged 19, and Team USA had a star on its hands.

Four days after those championships Richardson announced she would sign a professional contract at the end of her first year, forgoing her collegiate eligibility. Richardson signed with Nike and qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games, but a positive urine sample ended her dreams.

• Olympic star's dreams dashed after accidentally 'defecating' mid-race
• Olympics fans left stunned by swimmer's choice of trunks - 'is this legal?'

Before the postponed Tokyo Games, Richardson's urine sample showed traces of THC, indicating recent cannabis use. After completing a counselling programme and accepting a one-month suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), she was ruled out of the 100m event at the Olympics.

Richardson was devastated, admitting that she used the drug to cope with her mother's death. Although she was still eligible for the 4x100m relay event in Tokyo, she wasn't chosen and was therefore excluded from the Olympic team.

At the 2023 World Championships, Richardson made a statement by winning gold in the 100m final, but had to settle for bronze in the 200m. Her silver medal in the 100m final in Paris was her first Olympic medal, but she was defeated by St Lucia's Julien Alfred who won the nation's first-ever gold medal.

Richardson's disappointment at coming second to Alfred was evident in the hours following her event. The 24-year-old chose not to speak to reporters after her finish, except to correct a reporter on the correct pronunciation of her name.

The next day, as she walked through the mixed zone at Stade de France on Sunday, Richardson was asked if she was "happy" with how things had turned out. She quickly responded that she was "very happy" before walking away from the gathered media.

Richardson, under the guidance of former Team USA gold medalist and coach Dennis Mitchell, is set to compete for a gold medal on Aug. 9 in the 4x100m relay, assuming Team USA makes it to the final as anticipated.

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here .