Sha’Carri Richardson secured a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
Richardson completed her sprint in 10.87 seconds. The 24-year-old American superstar finished second behind Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who clocked a 10.72 to win gold. American Melissa Jefferson, who ran a 10.92, rounded out the medal podium by winning bronze.
WHAT A RACE in the women’s 100m final! #ParisOlympics
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) August 3, 2024
10.72🇱🇨🥇Julien Alfred (National Record)
10.87🇺🇸🥈Sha’Carri Richardson
10.92🇺🇸🥉Melissa Jeffersonpic.twitter.com/InKuWLY9SU
During the week, Richardson’s odds to win the 100-meter competition significantly dropped after Jamaican Shericka Jackson dropped out of the race to focus solely on the 200-meter dash. Richardson was deemed the favorite (-340), ahead of Alfred (+400) and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (+1200).
Fraser-Pryce shockingly withdrew from the 100-meter competition just minutes before she was scheduled to compete in the semifinals. Fraser-Pryce, 37, had medaled in the 100-meter competition at each of the past four Olympics.
In a video posted to X, security is shown preventing both Richardson and Fraser-Pryce from accessing the warmup area prior to their semifinal heat. The pair were among “many” athletes who were blocked from entering the track at one of the stadium’s gates.
Fraser-Pryce announced in February that she plans to retire after the 2024 Olympics. Richardson, however, will look forward to winning gold in the 2028 Los Angeles Games after finishing on the podium in her first Olympics.Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 🇯🇲 and Sha’carri Richardson 🇺🇸 are not being allowed into the warmup area in Paris through their normal route!
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) August 3, 2024
They have to go another distance to get into the warmup area. Their 100m semis is this evening.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/u0PYQvw6lv