Sha’Carri Richardson dominated the 100m race at the first Diamond League meeting of the season in Doha, leaving her rivals trailing behind. Richardson, who was expected to be one of the biggest names at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before being banned for one month due to a positive cannabis test, set a new meet record with a time of 10.76 seconds.
The American sprinter’s time of 10.76 (0.9) was the fourth quickest she has ever run under legal conditions and the fastest she has run in the past two years. It was fitting that Richardson surpassed the previous meeting record set by Tori Bowie, the world 100m champion from London 2017 and Olympic sprint relay champion at Rio 2016, who sadly passed away at the age of 32 on May 3.
Richardson’s victory in Doha is a clear indication of her potential to become one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Despite the disappointment of missing out on the Tokyo Olympics, she has continued to train hard and compete at the highest level. Her performance in Doha is a testament to her talent, dedication, and resilience.
“I’m just grateful to be back on the track and doing what I love,” Richardson said after the race. “I’ve been through a lot, but I’m just trying to stay focused and keep moving forward.”
Richardson’s next race is scheduled to take place at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on June 26th, where she will look to continue building momentum ahead of the upcoming World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 23-year-old beat Jamaica’s world 200m champion Shericka Jackson (10.85) while Briton Dina Asher-Smith was third (10.98) in a field that featured five Americans on the start line.
“I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace. All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it,” Richardson said. “Like I said it before, I had to be kicked out from another 100m race, so I had to do my best no matter what. Peace, love and life.”
Asher-Smith, who won the world 200m title in Doha in 2019, said she was happy with her third-placed finish. “The whole point about my season is to race against the best and I did that tonight. I am really happy with my race, third place is a good start and the time is decent,” she said.
