The road to the Paris Olympics is heating up, with athletes left with the final mileposts before the final showdown. The Prefontaine Classic 2024, set for May 25, is the next big thing for track and field fans. People are eagerly awaiting Sha’Carri Richardson and Elaine Thompson-Herah’s thrilling battle at this event. Strictly speaking stats, between both nation’s Olympic medal hopefuls one takes the advantageous spot. Who do you think is at the top? The reigning world champion Richardson, who hasn’t dazzled this season, or the Jamaican, who is making her season debut? Now, that leaves one scratching their head.

The stage is set, as fans and spectators have set the narratives of the fastest woman alive, Thompson-Herah, and the fastest woman in the world, Richardson, racing against one another. Delving into their past encounters, we found intriguing battles between the duo that highlight their intense rivalry.

Epic sprinters battle at the Prefontaine Classic

Two clear favorites from the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, include Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, the reigning two-time Olympic medalist and world champion Sha’Carri Richardson. Following her victory in the 2023 World Championship, in which she took home two gold medals and a bronze, Richardson declared that she’s not back, but better.

In the season’s 100m debut at this Classic, Richardson has her chance to prove her mettle. So far the American hasn’t had an ideal 200m race either, placing third in Suzhou and second in Xiamen. Five-time Olympic medalist Justin Gatlin has expressed doubts about Richardson’s form, particularly in light of her “unimpressive” 200m performances. To top it all off, Richardson also missed out on the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award.

Highlighting their rivalry, @FitzDunk announced on X: “It will be the reigning world champion versus the reigning Olympic champion! Elaine Thompson-Herah will face Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend. Their head-to-head record stands at 3-2 in Elaine’s favor.”

The burning question remains: Can Richardson turn the tables on Thompson-Herah? Richardson has the home-field edge when racing in Eugene, Oregon, where a roaring crowd supports her. Thompson-Herah, a last-minute entrant to the competition, gives the 100-meter race an exciting new twist but the American has been preparing for the same for a while now. Richardson is well-positioned to take advantage of her home-field advantage in the Prefontaine Classic, even though Thompson-Herah has a lead in their previous meetings—winning three of the five.

With a time of 10.61s, Elaine Thompson-Herah’s comeback as the Olympic champion in the women’s 100 meters at Tokyo 2020 stands as a remarkable feat. She surpassed a tough competition that included two-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to establish an Olympic record that was previously held by Florence Griffith-Joyner. During 2021, Richardson was serving a suspension, thus her return signaled a major turnaround and proved her potential to dominate the track.

Sha’Carri Richardson Vs. Elaine Thompson-Herah

Richardson made a tremendous comeback after Tokyo. She topped Thompson-Herah by a hair at the Spitzen Leichtathletik meet in Luzerne, Switzerland, winning the 100m in 11.29 seconds on a wet track with a stiff headwind. Then Thompson-Herah won the 2022 Prefontaine Classic in a time of 10.79, while Richardson came in just ahead of Shericka Jackson with a 10.92 finish. In the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2022, Richardson beat Thompson-Herah by a hundredth of a second. However, Richardson fought back at the 2023 Weltklasse Diamond League meeting, with Thompson-Herah coming in third. Again separated by just a hundredth of a second, Thompson-Herah placed third and Richardson finished fourth in the 2023 Prefontaine Classic.

Following up on personal bests, Richardson is the sixth fastest woman ever, with a wind-legal 100m PB time of 10.65. On the other hand, Thompson-Herah has a better personal best of 10.54s. The rivalry between Sha’Carri Richardson and Elaine Thompson-Herah promises exciting races and historic moments as the countdown to the Paris Olympics continues. Given their fierce rivalry and stellar pasts, the Prefontaine Classic 2024 will be a crucial predictor of future developments. Is Richardson able to bounce back from her previous setbacks and win at home? Or will Thompson-Herah establish her supremacy as the fastest-living woman once more? Only time will tell, but the suspense is electric!