Sha’Carri Richardson’s Rival Elaine-Thompson Herah’s Backout From 200m Could Make Her Chances Slim or Solid?

2024’s mega sports meet, the Paris Olympics is just 39 days away, and naturally, every sportsperson is pushing their limits to make a podium finish. Amongst them are two track stars, Sha’Carri Richardson and Elaine Thompson-Herah. However, it seems questionable if the Jamaican is back in her unrestrained form. Just a few days back, she had suffered an Achilles tendon injury while competing at the USATF NYC Grand Prix, which seemed to have partly swerved her off the planned course ahead of a monumental event.

But there was a glimmer of hope as Thompson-Herah’s road to recovery was being aided by Dr. Hans Wilhelm Müller Wohlfahrt. Back in 2016, it was this very sports medicine specialist whose 3-day treatment had shown impressive effects on Usain Bolt, enabling him to compete in the 100m Olympic final. Yet, it looks like things are not working out completely for Elaine. This has also changed the competition dynamics for her contemporaries, especially Sha’Carri Richardson.

Elaine Thomspon-Herah remains absent from the 200m entry list

The 200m predominant force Thompson-Herah, who bagged golds at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics in the said category, has opted out of it in Paris. As per the AthleticsJA.ORG official website, the entrant’s list displaying the Jamaican Athletes who have registered for the 200m sprint at the 33rd Olympics doesn’t include Thompson-Herah’s name.

Consequently, it can be discerned that the reigning Olympic champion has not registered for the 200m dash and will remain absent from it at the Olympics. Moreover, she has opted for a similar course at the 2024 Jamaican Olympic trials. Scheduled from the 27th to the 30th of June, she has opted for only the 100m category at the trials. With this, the 31-year-old fueled speculations about limiting herself to a single event, which divided her fans.

Previously, commenting on her injury, Thompson-Herah had stated, “I felt something uncomfortable as I began to push I still tried to go but it got worse. So I am awaiting professional advice moving forward.” Perhaps appearing only in the 100m appears the most favorable route to her medical advisors. But one thing is certain. With her victory chances narrowed down to a single event, the 100m dash, Thompson-Herah will put out all the stops to achieve the desired results. Now how does that make things look for her rival Sha’Carri Richardson, a USA favorite and a top 100m contender?

Thompson-Herah a stiff competitor for Sha’Carri Richardson?

Sha’Carri Richardson is the reigning 100m world champion, while her Jamaican rival is trailing far behind at the 9th position. The former’s gold at Budapest in 2023 certainly marked that 100m is her forte. Moreover, her absence at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 sure eased the chances of her competitors, one of which was Thompson-Herah. Capitalizing on the opportunity, the Jamaican athlete clocked a stellar 10.61 timing in Tokyo. She thereby defended her 100m title from Rio and clinched consecutive Olympic golds.

Speaking of their head-to-head competitions, the two recently competed at the Diamond League Prefontaine Classic in May 2024. In Eugene, Richardson bagged gold with a brisk 10.83, while her Thompson Herah finished 9th. This was quite a turn of the tide from the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, where a 0.01-second difference made Sha’Carri lose the bronze spot to Elaine, who finished in 10.79 seconds.

While the 2023 and 2024 chapters ended with one each, the 2021 and 2022 Prefontaine Classics were one-sided. They marked Thompson Herah beating the likes of Richardson with 2 golds. Meanwhile, Sha’Charri attained redemption at a different event, the 2023 Weltklasse Zurich. Here, she crossed the finish line first, with a stunning 10.88 while Thompson stood third.

Therefore, as the statistics suggest, the 2024 Paris Olympics clash between these luminaries is going to be one to keep your eyes peeled for. And, a little preview of their performances can be expected later this month. Both the US and Jamaican Trials are lined up soon. Who do you think will reign supreme?