Sha’Carri Richardson punches Olympic ticket with world’s fastest 100m of year

Sha’Carri Richardson earned her spot in the Paris Olympics by winning the 100-meter final in a season-best 10.71 seconds at U.S. track trials on Saturday.

Her victory in the final came by a margin of 0.09 seconds over training partner Melissa Jefferson, the 2022 U.S. champion. Another training partner, Twanisha Terry, finished third and also earned a spot on the women’s 100-meter team.

Richardson, whose victory at the 2021 Olympic Trials was overturned due to a positive test for marijuana, is the early favorite against Jefferson and what is expected to be a stacked field of Jamaicans starting Aug. 2 in Paris.

A win there would add an Olympic gold to the gold medal Richardson won at last year’s world championships, making her the sprinter to watch heading into 2024.

Earlier on Saturday, reigning world champion Noah Lyles ran his 100 preliminary lap in 9.92, the fastest time in the first round of men’s qualifying.