Richardson gaining traction on and off track
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Sha'Carri Richardson is leading US' Olympic hopes in the 100m, an event they have not won since Gail Devers in 1996.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
EUGENE (Oregon) • As Sha'Carri Richardson dashes across America's tracks, her long hair flowing, her social media numbers have soared.
More than a million followers have taken up the journey of the new United States women's 100m champion, whose brashness, flamboyance and fast times have brought new interest to the sport.
Yet the 21-year-old Texan, who ran the sixth-fastest women's time in April, clocking 10.72 seconds, has called on her fans to slow down when talk turns to breaking Florence Griffith-Joyner's world record of 10.49sec, set 33 years ago and is one of the longest standing marks left in athletics.
"I'm not looking to rush my journey," Richardson said on Tuesday, days after winning her speciality at the US Olympic trials in 10.86sec to qualify for next month's Tokyo 2020 Games.
"I am glad everybody feels like ... I can even do that (set the world record). But my journey has just started. I just want to develop and progress.
"It's not what the people would love for me to run, which is as much as I would. I am not going to put that expectation on myself and disappoint myself.
"When it is time for that time to come, it will be that time and everybody will be there to see it. I am not satisfied yet."
In Japan, Richardson will likely have to prove that she is the natural successor to Griffith-Joyner against a host of big names, including 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith, with the Briton booking her 100m berth this month.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 2008 and 2012 Olympic 100m champion, and current gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah are also likely to seal their tickets to Tokyo as the Jamaican Olympic athletics trials get under way today.
Golden girl Fraser-Pryce is the fastest woman in the world over 100m this year, clocking 10.63sec - the second fastest time in history - earlier this month, while Thompson-Herah has the third-fastest time this season, 10.78sec in Florida in May.
Jamaica's Natasha Morrison is also in the mix after setting the fourth fastest time this year at 10.87sec as is rising 19-year-old Briana Williams, who ran a personal best of 10.97sec earlier this month. The four-day meet takes place at the National Stadium in Kingston.
REUTERS
