The loss of rising USA talent Sha’Carri Richardson for the women’s Olympics 100m is a major disappointment, however, it is interesting to note how many of our northern neighbours seem to think it means the end of the race.
The 21-year-old has certainly brought plenty of flavour and spice to women’s sprinting in the last year, and her potential match-up with Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and 6 more of the world’s fastest women was expected to be part of an all you can eat buffet that had dedicated and even casual track and field fans salivating months in advance.
But Richardson was only part of a massively talented field, and to be fair if anyone is considered to be the event’s main course it's Fraser-Pryce. The American has run times of 10.77, 10.74 and 10.72, in May and April of this year, very impressive, but the Jamaican has clocked 10.71 to win her national championships and 10.63, the fastest time run over the distance in 33 years and more amazingly the second quickest time ever clocked over the distance.
In addition, Fraser-Pryce, one of the all-time greats, will be looking to capture her third Olympic gold medal in the 100m sprints, potentially becoming the first woman in history to do so and the second person to achieve the feat behind illustrious compatriot Usain Bolt.
Given her penchant for delivering on the big occasion, Fraser-Pryce has won 6 of 8 World Championships and Olympic finals combined, she would certainly be favoured to do so.
In addition to Fraser-Pryce, however, the deep field also contains reigning Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, another Jamaican who has clocked 10.70 at her best and run 10.77 this year. Based on her impressive performances at the Jamaica National Championships, another Caribbean athlete Shericka Jackson, a former 400m specialist, will also certainly have inserted herself into the mix with times of 10.77 and 10.82.
Another rising talent Dinah Asher-Smith of Great Britain, the 2019 Diamond League champion, has not gone as quickly as the rest of the athletes mentioned above this season but knows what it is like to be successful on the big stage having claimed 200m gold and 100m silver at the 2019 World Championships.