Last month, it was announced that Sha’Carri Richardson will be heading back to the track for her first competition following her controversial Olympic Games disqualification. But what makes it more exciting is that she will face off against all of the Jamaican Olympic track stars who took home medals in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The 21-year-old will race Jamaica’s 100 meters Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and bronze winner Shericka Jackson at the upcoming women’s 100-meter sprint at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon on Aug. 21.
Richardson became the talk of the Internet and an American fan favorite following her 10.86-second victory in the women’s 100 meters final at the U.S Olympic Track Field Trials in June, but she was controversially disqualified from competition after testing positive for THC shortly after the event. The flamboyant sprinter also lost her mother days before the qualifying race. She has since apologized and accepted responsibility for her decision use marijuana and hopes to move on from the situation by “putting on a show” in the upcoming race.
“I’m looking forward to running fast and putting on a show,” Richardson previously said in a press release announcing her intent to compete.
“Sha’Carri is focused on running a good race since she last competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials,” her rep told TMZ. “She will be focused on executing her race to the best of her ability regardless of who is in the race.”
The Prefontaine Classic marks Richardson’s return to competition since her one-month suspension, and she will certainly have her work cut out for her. Thompson-Herah’s 10.61 time in the 100-meter final in Tokyo broke Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner’s Olympic record of 10.62 that was set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and is easily ahead of Richardson’s personal best time.
Briana Williams, Shelly Ann Frazer Pryce, Sherika Jackson. @fastelaine/Instagram
Fans shared their excitement over the matchup with some rooting for Richardson and others already giving the W to the Herah, Pryce and Jackson.
“Jamaica gona leave her in the dust but good luck girl 😂.”
“I’m standing beside her bc this about to be good if she loses or win.”
“This What Everybody Wanted To See.”
“This is a win for all.”
