American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who secured second place in the 100m final, and Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who had to withdraw, faced difficulties on their way to the warm-up stadium before the semi-finals at the Stade de France on Saturday.
It was a challenging Saturday for both Sha’Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The two sprinting stars did not achieve their goal of winning gold in the 100m on Saturday evening. In the heavy rain at the Stade de France, the American, who finished second, was soundly defeated by St Lucia’s Julien Alfred.
Richardson and Alfred were the only sprinters this year to surpass the 10.8-second mark as they entered the Olympics.
Meanwhile, the Jamaican icon suffered an injury and had to pull out before the semi-finals: “I can’t find the words to convey how disappointed I am,” the 37-year-old champion wrote on social media. Their disappointment was further intensified by their frustration with the organization…
Richardson’s Subpar Performance Due To Mismanaged Warm-Up
American and Jamaican sprinters encountered problems reaching the warm-up stadium before their semi-final as they were coming from their Nike hospitality area rather than the Olympic Village. Paris 2024 explained that the route from the hospitality area requires passing through the village.
Consequently, the sprinters had to walk for over 30 minutes, arriving very late. This insufficient warm-up might have led to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s injury and Sha’Carri Richardson’s subpar performance.
Paris 2024 reported that some athletes tried to enter the warm-up area at the Stade de France through the wrong door. They were redirected to the correct entrances and eventually gained access to the site, according to the organizers.
In that race, Richardson hopes to become the first American woman to secure Olympic gold in the 100m since Gail Devers in 1996. Marion Jones also won the 100m in 2000 but had her medal revoked later due to doping.
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