Paris Olympics 2024: Sha’Carri Richardson Has Another Challenge For Gabby Thomas as She Lays Out Her Intent for “100m Heavy-Hitters”

Sha’Carri Richardson may feel Shericka Jackson is her fiercest rival. In the post-Tokyo Olympics era, the American-Jamaican duo took the short-distance sprinting rivalry to the next level. The 2023 Budapest Worlds epitomized that battle. There Sha’Carri Richardson made her identity felt by claiming the 100m final. On the other hand, Shericka Jackson found her joy in topping the 200m sprinting final. But that 200m battle flaunted another American sprinter who stood at a better podium than SCR at the end. 

In finishing the 200m world championship race, Gabrielle ’Gabby’ Thomas took 0.11 seconds less than Sha’Carri’s timing. But that was not all as 2x Olympic medalist is now taking a serious interest in the 100m battle. 

Gabby Thomas makes a firm statement on the track 

Sha’Carri Richardson is yet to hit the ground in the Olympic year, but her national teammate Gabby Thomas took her turn in the Texas Relays last afternoon. Moreover, the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays turned out to be Gabby’s second track and field contest after the fiery New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. 

However, the former world champion uncapped the Texas occasion in the same way where she left the indoor championships. This afternoon she earned the top position in both the 100 and 200m sprinting events, posting clocking’s of 10.88s and 22.08s. So after enjoying her outdoor takes, the 27-year-old sprinter claimed something extraordinary to Citius Mag. 

“No one ever wants to consider me a 100m runner. But I feel like I’m and I work really hard and I’m getting better and my starts getting better… So I do want to prove to everyone that I could run it cuz I know…I can run with the heavy hitter 100m runners… That felt good,” she claimed just after finishing the race.

In the same line, the 27-year-old sprinter expressed her iron-cast will continue both the 400m and 4x100m relay event. She proved her prowess in those two events, so Gabby gave examples of her performance last year in the same Texas contests. However, in the 100m events, Gabby Thomas’s performances inflicted less worry on Sha’Carri Richardson in the past. 

Should Sha’Carri Richardson be worried about Gabby Thomas? 

While in the 200m events, Gabby Thomas enjoyed a phenomenal run over Sha’Carri Richardson previously, the 100m events remained on different paths. In 2019-2023, Gabby faced SCR five times in the 200m sprinting and had the upper hand over the compatriot in Stars and Stripes. But despite locking horns since their LSU days, in the 100m, the result remained staunchly opposite. 

In four meets till now, Sha’Carri Richardson won the bouts, keeping a healthy gap with Gabby Thomas. But the good news could be that in Texas Relays, Gabby’s timing remained far better than her previous encounters where she opposed the reigning 100m world champion. However, as the schedule dictates, Sha’Carri Richardson will be in the Suzhou Diamond League to try her outdoor fun. Gabby Thomas will surely watch that out. 

Read more: Sha’Carri Richardson’s Gold Curse in Diamond League 200m: Will 2024 Open Her Account?