“Slow and steady wins the race“—but Sha’Carri Richardson‘s 100m sprint in Paris tells a different story. She dazzled the crowd days later by anchoring the U.S. team to victory in the 4x100m relay, yet her shot at an individual medal in the high-speed 100m event slipped away due to a familiar foe: a sluggish start. This frustrating pattern has been a thorn in Richardson’s side for some time now.

Despite finishing second on August 3, Richardson isn’t out of the game yet. She’ll have another shot at victory when the Diamond League heads to Zurich, Switzerland. Over three weeks after their electrifying showdown on the purple track, Richardson and Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred will meet again. Their dramatic 100m final at the Stade de France left fans breathless, and anticipation is already building for their next clash.

Raes Take TV fired up the track and field community on X, asking, “Alfred vs. Richardson. 100m. September 4th in Zurich. Who you got?!” Although Richardson was the favorite in Paris, she struggled off the blocks with the slowest reaction time of 0.221 seconds, falling short to Alfred in the finals. The excitement is palpable, and fans are eager to see if Richardson can bounce back and claim her redemption in Zurich. All eyes are on the clock, and this time, Sha’Carri Richardson is determined to leave slow starts in the past.

However, Julien Alfred’s reaction time of 0.144 seconds proved detrimental to the American’s Olympic gold dreams. Using the major lead to her advantage, Saint Lucien eventually crossed the finish line in 10.72 seconds. This time was 0.01 seconds faster than the star-striped sprinter’s winning time at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But what if we tell you that her slow start almost brought her Olympic dreams to a screeching halt? In June, Sha’Carri Richardson had her sights set on qualifying for the Paris-bound track and field team.

Determined to make her much-awaited debut on the world’s biggest stage, many hoped to see the sprinter dominate the track. But as soon as she was off the blocks, her slow start nearly endangered those very dreams. Against all odds, she pushed through and punched her ticket to Paris with a world-leading time of 10.71 seconds. However, she couldn’t replicate the same results and crossed the finish line in a disheartening 4th position. But with the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League around the corner, will she be able to redeem herself? 

Track & Field community believes Sha’Carri Richardson has it in the bag

Even though Julien Alfred claimed the Olympic title, fans hope to see Sha’Carri Richardson redeem herself in Zurich. However, they think this will only be possible if she eradicates the persisting issue. One fan pointed out, “It’s in Sha’Carri’s hands. We know she is faster but will she run faster is the question.” After consistently displaying slow starts this season, this fan thinks seizing a victory may be harder than anticipated. 

Another fan was optimistic, “I’ll go with Sha’Carri Richardson for the win. Less Pressure in that race. Winning time: 10.79-10.8s.” Her time at Stade de France may have been quicker. But this fan believes that because the stakes are not as high, the race might not be as intense. However, one fan pushed back. “Taking Sha’carri but hope she fixes her opening 20m that’s been putting her in the hole.” In the first 10m, the sprinter found herself in the 7th position. She didn’t move up the ranks until the 50m mark, putting herself in 4th position. Due to this, the fan believes Alfred might push past the finish line first if history repeats itself in Zurich.

A fan exclaimed, “All things equal (fitness) Sha’Carri’s faster & should win, but we know she’s not shown her best form since trials & I believe Julien’s in 10.6 shape, so with Carri’s shape in Q, it’s a toss up…too close to call 🤔” Sha’Carri Richardson pulled a world lead time at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But she trailed after the Saint Lucian in the semis and the finals at Stade de France. But another fan believes this might work to her advantage.

They simply stated, “I want to say Alfred but I believe Sha’Carri is seeking revenge since she didn’t win the gold. The pressure is off for Alfred, she’s already won the biggest race.” It’s true, Julien Alfred clinched her nation’s first Olympic gold at the French capital. But after licking her wounds, Sha’Carri Richardson might want to come out stronger following her Olympic silver performance. Do you agree with the fans?

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