“Budapest W 100 m Final”: Mentioning Sha’Carri Richardson, Usain Bolt, and More, Track and Field Fans Divided Over Greatest Race of All Time

In the realm of track and field, few topics ignite as much passion and debate as the discussion of the greatest race of all time. Fans of the sport are deeply invested in discussing and analyzing historic races, iconic performances, and legendary athletes, which has led to diverse perspectives on what constitutes the greatest race. And it is not without reasons. The tracks on one hand have produced legends like Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson. On the other hand, the legacy is continued by youngsters like Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles. So the dust of the debate never settled.

Recently, it was stirred by Track Spice with a post on his X handle questioning the fans, “Which is the greatest race you’ve watched?” This was all the fans needed. From Sha’Carri Richardson to Usain Bolt to Michael Johnson, at one point it seemed as if it was the legends vs, the youngsters that is panning out in the comments section. 

Some of the best witnessed and captured moments in track and field journey are Sha’Carri Richardson, known for her explosive speed and charismatic personality. It is made even more captivating with how she came back after being barred from competing in the Tokyo Olympics for a doping controversy. She set the tracks on fire in Budapest by winning the 100-meter dash with 10.65 earning gold, beating Shericka Johnson and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pyrce.

Usain Bolt, on the other hand, is universally recognized as one of the greatest sprinters in history. He has a staggering eight Olympic gold medals and ten world championship titles to his name. Apart from that, his world record of 9.58 seconds in 100m still haunts the sprinters to date. Amid this, Noah Lyles is coming up strongly in the race of one of the best runners in the world while also claiming to take from where Bolt left. Taking into consideration all these, fans passionately discussed their favorite athletes.

Fans’ debate brings back memories of iconic races

Who can forget Sha’Carri’s iconic comment “I’m not back…I am better” after winning the 100m dash at the US Nationals 2023? She chose the World Championships 2023 arena to reestablish that by winning the 100m dash in August 2023. A fan recalled that with their comment:

Another fan recalled the same race of Sha’Carri for a different reason. In that final, she was given the outside lane because of coming through the semi-finals as the fastest loser. But that did not seem to bother her much. After the win, she had stated, “I’ve always been in my own world, my own element, so lane nine was perfect for me to do what it is that I know to do and focus on myself.” Lauding that, the fan wrote:

How can Usain Bolt be missed when talking about the greatest races? A fan seemed overwhelmed by The Jamaican legend as they could not pick up any single race: 

Another fan was more precise and to the point. They brought back memories of Usain Bolt’s maiden Olympic gold medal in the 2008 Olympics. Although Bolt had already created ripples before that, the Olympics are a different ball game. But for Bolt, it did not make much difference. He finished the race so much ahead (9.69) of the silver medalist Richard Thompson (9.89) that Tom Hammond of NBC Sports commented, “Usain Bolt! Sprinting ahead, winning by daylight!” But in the excitement quotient, the fan mentioned another iconic race.

It was between Karsten Warholm of Norway and USA’s Rai Benjamin. The Men’s 400m Hurdles Final in Tokyo was touted as the most high-profile battle of all time in Olympic history. Warholm won gold setting a new world record of 45.94 seconds while Benjamin took silver.

Meanwhile, Michael Johnson also popped up in the discussion with his 1996 200m Atlanta Olympic gold. MJ won the race with a time of 19.32, making and breaking several records. But probably the most remembered part of the race was MJ wearing a custom-designed pair of golden-colored Nike racing spikes earning him the nickname, “The Man With the Golden Shoes”. 

The discussion serves as a celebration of the sport’s rich history and the extraordinary performances that have shaped it. Let us know your pick also in the comment box.