EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson knew she had been beaten.
The American sprint sensation slowed as she approached the finish line, conceding she no longer had enough energy to catch any of the three women in front of her.
Gabby Thomas showed her class in the highly anticipated women’s 200-meter final at the U.S. Olympic trials, comfortably winning first place in 21.81 seconds. Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long also booked their tickets to Paris on Saturday by finishing second and third, respectively.
Richardson settled for fourth in 22.16 seconds, dashing her hopes of a sprint double in Paris later this summer. She had already established herself as the favourite for Olympic gold in the women’s 100m when she dominated the event on the opening weekend of trials.
While Thomas, Brown and Long shared a happy hug after crossing the finish line, Richardson was gracious in defeat. She wore a smile on her face and applauded her compatriots on their way to Paris.
What does Richardson think about focusing only on the 100 in Paris? Did his legs get heavy on Saturday after running three 100 events and three 200 events in eight days? Only Richardson knows these answers. She did not speak to reporters Saturday, just as she did not during the Olympic trials.
It’s no surprise to see Thomas take victory in the women’s 200m. This race has been his specialty for a long time. Thomas won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in the 200m and took silver at last year’s world championships. She then opted not to run the 400m last weekend at the trials to ensure her legs were fresh for her signature race.
“I didn’t compete in the first part of the trials, which took a lot of discipline and patience to be able to run a really good 200,” Thomas said. “It was really hard for me to watch that 400. I was here in Eugene, just training to get there. But I think it was ultimately the right decision.”
The fact that Richardson also failed to catch Brown and Long is considered a bigger shock. The 100 may be Richardson’s best race, but she won a bronze medal in the 200 at the world championships last summer. Her time in Saturday’s final was slower than the sub-22-second runs she produced in the first round and semifinals of the Olympic trials.
Brown and Long both ran fast enough that Richardson had to be in top form to pass them. Long said she tapped into her reserves over the last 60 meters and kept telling herself, “Don’t lose your form no matter what.” »
When Long crossed the finish line, it was a bittersweet moment for the recent Ole Miss graduate. Sweet because it meant she qualified for Paris. Bitter because her late mother wasn’t there to witness it.
Long’s mother died suddenly of a heart attack at age 45, just before the start of the track and field season. Since then, Long has been running in memory of his mother.
“To cross that line, knowing that I’m an Olympian now, it’s so surreal,” Long said, fighting back tears. “I know my mom is smiling cheek to cheek, I know she’s proud of me. That’s all I could ever want.”
Among those who suspected Long would make the Olympic team was Thomas. She said she had a dream Friday night that she and Long would finish in the top three.
He was told that Long wished he had known that in advance, and Thomas laughed.
“I didn’t want to jinx it,” the 200-meter champion said with a smile.
News Source : sports.yahoo.com
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