By Callie Caplan
Sha’Carri Richardson will return to the racing spotlight this weekend against a few big-time Olympians.
The Dallas native and star American sprinter will run the women’s 100 meters Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., meet organizers announced Monday.
Also in the field for Richardson’s season debut in the prestigious Diamond League: Tokyo Olympic medalists Elaine Thompson-Herah (gold) and Sherika Jackson (bronze) of Jamaica, fourth-place Olympian Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, and American Olympic finalist Teahna Daniels.
Watch for Richardson to command significant attention again.
The 2018 Carter graduate has become one of the sport’s leading competitors and personalities since her breakout victory at the U.S. track and field Olympics trials last summer, during which she ingested marijuana to numb the “emotional panic” of learning about her biological mother’s death.
Richardson was later suspended from the Olympic team for her positive drug test.
Less than two weeks after the Tokyo Games, Richardson resumed racing at the Prefontaine Classic in mid-August against Jamaica’s Olympic podium trio. She finished last, in ninth place, about a half-second slower than her personal best (10.72 seconds).
With the mid-July world championship two months away, Richardson’s performance Saturday could foreshadow her potential to medal on the major international stage.
Richardson finished fourth (11.37 seconds) in the 100 meters last weekend at an American Track League meet in Jacksonville, Fla., in a race against a strong headwind and after an hours-long rain delay canceled the prelim heats.
According to a report, some of the women raced again after the official competition last weekend — in the opposite direction on the track — and Richardson won in 11.27 seconds despite celebrating early.
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