Paris Olympics: Debate Over Sha’Carri Richardson’s Snub Against Jamaican Rivals From 100m Leaves Track and Field Fans in Splits

Sha’Carri Richardson has had a dismal start this season and is yet to register a maiden 2024 Diamond League win. Now eyeing the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene Hayward Field, the 24-year-old is finally going to make her 100m debut this season against sprinters like 60m world champion Julien Alfred and Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith. The news has come after she faced upsets twice in the 200m category so far this season with a second and third-place finish in Xiamen first and Suzhou, a week later. 

At Xiamen, although Anavia Battle led most of the race, Richardson, compatriot Tamara Clark, and 19-year-old Torrie Lewis charged ahead in the last 20 meters. In what was a photo finish, Richardson composed her hair for post-race bits thinking she had won the race, only to be proved otherwise. The win went in the way of debutant Australian record holder Lewis (22.96 seconds) who started in the outside lane. Richardson didn’t look all that competitive at Suzhou as Daryll Neita, who started in the 7th lane, clocked the race at 22.6 seconds and let up to celebrate the win 5 meters ahead of the finish line.    

Looking at how both races have proceeded, a track and field raconteur has recently doused the reigning 100m champion’s brewing chance of earning gold in the Paris Olympics. Talking about Sha’Carri Richardson‘s probability in the big games, Raes Take TV decided to leave the Dallas-born from the first three on the list of “Paris 2024 Women 100m Dash.”

Rather, Jamaican sprinting monuments like Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson-Herah took the consecutive ranks in the proposed like. Despite having yet to make a 100m race this season, Shelly-Ann and Elaine enter the list. However, what made the raconteur form such a list remains unknown. 

Shericka’s name on the list comes amid her hearty performance on May 5 to announce her Olympic season debut. The reigning 200m world champion took 11.03 seconds (+1.8 m/hour) to take the top podium at the JAAA All-Comers in the 100m event. Eventually, she defeated Tina Clayton, another Jamaican star sprinter in track and field, in that event.

On the other hand, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce displayed their colors and shed sweat in the net practices recently. However, SCR has had her memorable takeouts facing the Jamaican opposition. In the Budapest World Athletics Championships 2023, she defeated both Shericka and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m event.

But in the last run of the 2023 season at Eugene Diamond League, Richardson had to face defeat at the hands of both Shericka and Elaine Thompson-Herah, who took gold and bronze, respectively. Keeping that rivalry in mind, the post garnered significant attention and discussion among the enthusiasts.

Fans weigh Sha’Carri Richardson against the Jamaican trio

One user pointed to the probable timings of the list, keeping Sha’Carri Richardson far behind the Jamaican trio. Interestingly, according to the list, Shericka Jackson is predicted to win the gold with a time of 10.68s. Let us not forget that Sha’Carri pulled off a time of 10.65s at WAC Budapest when she defeated Shericka Jackson.

Soon, a fitting reply came from an X-handle, Boyce Watkins, ridiculing the Jamaicans’ chances, claiming, “You do know Sha’carri beat all of them last year, right?” The debate extended as both the naysayers and yeasayers punched their choices in the comment box. 

In her last two contests, Sha’Carri Richardson’s sprinting clocking looked gloomy compared to her last year’s finishes. However, the LSU alum vowed to come back stronger. Furthermore, in her latest conversation as well, SCR backed her preparation module and support system. “Literally every little detail counts. It’s worth the hard work, it’s worth the sacrifices,” she claimed. In such a situation, Gary Avery could only pick Shericka Jackson among the Jamaican trio against the American champion. The fan wrote, “The only sure thing is Shericka. There’s no guarantee the other two will even set foot on the podium. There’s some hungry young lionesses gunning for them.”

But as per another fan,  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce holds the upper hand against Sha’Carri Richardson. In pointing out Shelly-Ann, the handle indicated her revenge chance against SCR after the Budapest 100m contest. “Based of Shelly’s pattering and winning the Championship following the one she had a defeat! I’m going with SAFP!“

But Browserbrowser nullified that chance by keeping Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the third position. Rather, the handle repeated the Budapest Worlds’ 100m women’s leaderboard. Meanwhile, several fans remarked that the trio needs to cross the Olympic trial first to face Sha’Carri Richardson in Paris. 

In one such message in the past, Sha’Carri Richardson showered her praise on Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Rather, taking the critics on one hand, she outpoured, “I just want to say she is an amazing athlete. I literally grew up watching her.” So that might hold among the fans as well in the question of rivalry. What do you think about this?