EUGENE, Ore. – Sha’Carri Richardson, one of America’s biggest track and field stars, advanced to the women’s 100-meter final after finishing first in the semifinals at Hayward Field.
Richardson finished with a time of 10.86 in the semifinal heat. The next competition will be at 7:50 pm (Pacific Time), where the top three finishers will be part of the United States Olympic team.
Joining her in the final are Melissa Jefferson, Tamara Clark, Tamari Davis, Aleia Hobbs, Candace Hill, Twanisha Terry, Anavia Battle and Jenna Prandini.
Richardson ran 10.88 in the opening round on Friday, the fastest of any of the 34 sprinters. Her time was especially impressive considering she stumbled on the starting block.
“[I] I definitely didn’t have the start I’ve been training for at this moment,” Richardson told NBC after his victory on Friday. “But still, without panicking, remaining patient. And knowing that no matter what is happening, I will continue to run my race.”
The 24-year-old Richardson is expected to compete for the gold medal at the Paris Games after having one of the best years for a sprinter in American history. She ran 10.65 at the world championships last August in Budapest, an event record. Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 35-year-old world record of 10.49 still stands.
Richardson also won gold in the 4x100m relay and bronze in the 200m at the world championships.
If she makes the Olympic team, it will be redemption for missing the 2020 Olympics. Richardson won the trials that year, but was not allowed to compete in Tokyo after testing positive for marijuana. She said in NBC’s “TODAY” show she ingested it after her mother’s death.
“I know what I did, I know what I should do… and I still made this decision,” Richardson said at the time. “I am not making excuses or seeking empathy in my case. But to be in that position in my life, to find out something like that…dealing with the relationship I have with my mom, that was definitely a very heavy topic for me.”
Another gold medal favorite, Noah Lyles, will also compete Saturday in Eugene. The first round of the men’s The 100 meters will start at 6:20 pm (Pacific time) and will continue with two more heats on Sunday. Lyles – who will also run the 200 meters next week – is looking to become the “fastest man on Earth”, a title an American hasn’t achieved in 28 years.
“World records were made to be broken,” he said. told NBC Philadelphia. “It’s just another goal to check off the list and it’s always fun to go for the top.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
