EUGENE, Ore. — Is it Sha’Carri Richardson’s time? If the U.S. Olympic track and field trials are an indication, the answer appears to be yes.
Richardson cruised to win the women’s 100 meters with a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds.
Richardson got off to a sluggish start, but accelerated by the other sprinters at 60 meters and crossed the line well ahead to stamp her ticket to the Paris Olympics.
“This time around, I feel as if it was more — definitely still confident, still my exciting, normal self, but more so the overwhelming feeling of joy,” Richardson said following the race.
The reigning world champion won the opening round of the 100 meters despite a bad start and a loose shoelace. She raced by the other sprinters in the semifinals, and then she made an impressive statement in the final.
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Melissa Jefferson ran a personal-best 10.80 to place second. Twanisha Terry got third with a time of 10.98.
Richardson, Jefferson, and Terry, who all train together, will advance to the Paris Olympics.
“It definitely confirmed the year we’ve been training for. We’ve been preparing for this moment, it’s a full circle moment,” Richardson said. “We’re grateful and appreciative and I’m super excited to grow and build from this momentum that we’ve already established.
“It’s more than exciting to continue to go forward with my girls. We didn’t put the world on notice, the world already knew….
